The electron configuration for nitrogen is 1s
2s
2p
. Write the ORBITAL DIAGRAM for JUST THE VALENCE ELECTRONS! (3 points) 9. Is a nitrogen atom paramagnetic or diamagnetic? (Circle your choice!) (1 point)
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Orbital Diagram for Nitrogen Valence Electrons
The electron configuration of nitrogen is:
1s2 2s2 2p31s^2 \ 2s^2 \ 2p^31s2 2s2 2p3
The valence electrons are those in the 2s and 2p orbitals, as these are the highest energy orbitals for nitrogen.
Orbital Diagram for Valence Electrons:
- 2s orbital: The 2s orbital contains 2 electrons, paired up as follows:
↑↓ (2s²) - 2p orbitals: The 2p orbital has 3 electrons. According to Hund’s rule, which states that electrons fill degenerate orbitals singly before pairing, the 2p orbitals will be filled like this:
↑ ↑ ↑ (2p³)
Thus, the orbital diagram for nitrogen’s valence electrons is:
makefileCopyEdit2s: ↑↓
2p: ↑ ↑ ↑
Is a Nitrogen Atom Paramagnetic or Diamagnetic?
To determine whether nitrogen is paramagnetic or diamagnetic, we need to consider the electron configuration and the number of unpaired electrons.
- Paramagnetic: An atom or ion is paramagnetic if it has one or more unpaired electrons. These unpaired electrons generate a magnetic field and cause the atom to be attracted to an external magnetic field.
- Diamagnetic: An atom or ion is diamagnetic if all of its electrons are paired. Diamagnetic substances are slightly repelled by a magnetic field.
For nitrogen, the 2p orbital has 3 electrons, and according to the orbital diagram above, each of these electrons occupies a different p orbital, leaving all of them unpaired.
Thus, nitrogen is paramagnetic, as it has 3 unpaired electrons in the 2p orbitals.
Explanation:
- Orbital diagram: The orbital diagram represents the arrangement of electrons in their orbitals. For nitrogen, it shows that the 2p orbital has three unpaired electrons, and the 2s orbital is fully paired.
- Paramagnetic vs. Diamagnetic: The presence of unpaired electrons makes nitrogen paramagnetic. If nitrogen had no unpaired electrons (i.e., all electrons paired), it would be diamagnetic.
