Multiple Choice
What are the electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom called?
3
views
10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
Valence Electrons of Elements
Struggling with General Chemistry?
Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
How many valence electrons does a nitrogen atom have?
A
7
B
5
C
2
D
3
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the atomic number of nitrogen, which is 7. This means a nitrogen atom has 7 electrons in total.
Recall that valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell (energy level) of an atom.
Determine the electron configuration of nitrogen: the first shell (1s) holds 2 electrons, and the second shell (2s and 2p) holds the remaining electrons.
Since the first shell is full with 2 electrons, the remaining 5 electrons are in the second shell, which is the outermost shell for nitrogen.
Therefore, the number of valence electrons in a nitrogen atom is the number of electrons in its outermost shell, which is 5.
2:32mWatch next
Master Main Group Elements Valence Electrons with a bite sized video explanation from Jules
Start learningRelated Videos
Related Practice
Valence Electrons of Elements practice set
Problem sets built by lead tutorsExpert video explanations