High School

What is the net ionic charge of a nitrogen ion?

A. [tex]\(-3\)[/tex]
B. [tex]\(+3\)[/tex]
C. [tex]\(-2\)[/tex]
D. [tex]\(-1\)[/tex]

Answer :

Certainly! Let's determine the net ionic charge of a nitrogen ion:

1. Understanding Nitrogen's Valence Electrons:
- Nitrogen is an element in group 15 of the periodic table, which means it has 5 valence electrons.

2. Achieving Stability:
- Atoms tend to gain or lose electrons in order to achieve a full outer electron shell, similar to the nearest noble gas configuration. For nitrogen, the nearest noble gas is neon, which has a complete set of 8 valence electrons.

3. Gaining Electrons:
- To reach a stable electron configuration with 8 electrons, nitrogen needs to gain 3 more electrons.

4. Calculating Ionic Charge:
- Since electrons are negatively charged, gaining 3 electrons adds a charge of -3 to the nitrogen atom.

Thus, the net ionic charge of a nitrogen ion is [tex]\(-3\)[/tex].