Nitrogen (N)
Element 7 · reactive nonmetal · group 15, period 2
Nitrogen is element 7, a reactive nonmetal in group 15 and period 2. Its electron configuration is [He] 2s2 2p3. That leaves 5 valence electrons in the outer shell, with the shells filling 2, 5. It is 3 electrons short of a full octet, so it gains them and carries a charge of -3.
- 7 protons
- 5 valence e−
- -3
- p-block
Properties
| Atomic number | 7 |
|---|---|
| Symbol | N |
| Standard atomic weight | 14.007 u |
| Group | 15 |
| Period | 2 |
| Block | p-block |
| Category | reactive nonmetal |
| Electron configuration | 1s2 2s2 2p3 |
| Noble-gas notation | [He] 2s2 2p3 |
| Electrons per shell | 2, 5 |
| Valence electrons | 5 |
| Common ionic charge | -3 |
| Electronegativity (Pauling) | 3.04 |
| Protons / electrons | 7 / 7 |
Electron configuration of nitrogen
Orbitals fill from the lowest energy upward. Writing that out for nitrogen gives 1s2 2s2 2p3, which is 1s2 2s2 2p3 in plain text.
Everything up to He is the same as in that noble gas, so it is usually abbreviated to [He] 2s2 2p3. The part outside the bracket is what does the chemistry.
| Subshell | Electrons | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| 1s | 2 | 2 |
| 2s | 2 | 2 |
| 2p | 3 | 6 |
Nitrogen ion charge
Nitrogen commonly forms ions with a charge of -3.
It has 5 valence electrons, so it is 3 short of a full octet and 5 above an empty outer shell. An atom takes whichever route is shorter, which is why the charge comes out as it does.
Common questions
How many valence electrons does nitrogen have?
Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons. For a main-group element the count is the group number minus 10, and nitrogen is in group 15.
What is the electron configuration of nitrogen?
1s2 2s2 2p3, or [He] 2s2 2p3 written from the previous noble gas. Orbitals fill lowest energy first.
What is the charge of nitrogen?
Nitrogen commonly forms ions with a charge of -3. With 5 valence electrons it is 3 short of an octet and 5 above an empty shell, so it takes whichever route is shorter.
How many protons, electrons and neutrons does nitrogen have?
A neutral nitrogen atom has 7 protons and 7 electrons. Its standard atomic weight is 14.007, so the most common isotope has about 7 neutrons.
Nearby elements
See the ionic charge of every element →