What are Resonating Structures?
“Sets of Lewis structures that describe the delocalization of electrons in a polyatomic ion or molecule are referred to as resonance structures.”
Due to the presence of partial charges and fractional bonds in a molecule/polyatomic ion, a single Lewis structure fails to explain its bonding in many cases. Therefore, resonance structures are used to describe chemical bonding in such cases.
Table of Contents
- Resonance Structure of NH3
- Lewis Structure of NH3
- Geometry of NH3
- Hybridization of NH3
- Polarity of NH3
- Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
Resonance Structure of NH3
Ammonia is the most basic binary hydride, consisting of nitrogen and hydrogen, denoted by the chemical formula NH3. It is a stable pnictogen hydride in which all of the atoms are covalently bonded to achieve a reactive state. Ammonia is lighter than air, colourless, and has a strong odour.
Since an ammonia molecule lacks a double bond, it lacks resonating structure. As a result, no resonating structures are observed in NH3.
Lewis Structure of NH3
The Lewis structure, also known as an electron dot structure, is primarily a pictorial representation of an atom’s valence electrons.
The diagram is created by placing dots, mostly in pairs, around the symbol of an atom. Furthermore, the lines depict bond formation between the atoms, with the number of lines indicating whether a single, double, or triple bond has formed.
Lewis structure can be used to detect the presence of a lone pair of electrons that are not involved in the formation of a bond. According to the octet rule, electrons are filled around the symbol of an atom.
There are three N-H bonds with hydrogen atoms bonded to a nitrogen atom in the middle and a lone pair of electrons on top of the nitrogen atom.
Geometry of NH3
Ammonia’s (NH3) molecular geometry is trigonal pyramidal or distorted tetrahedral. It is due to a single lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom, which is non-bonding and repels the bonding orbitals. The bond angle between hydrogen, nitrogen, and hydrogen atoms (H-N-H) is 107°.
Hybridization of NH3
The hybridization of nitrogen in ammonia (NH3) is sp3.
The nitrogen atom has one 2s and three 2p orbitals, which combine and overlap to produce four hybrid orbitals of equal energy.
The three bonding and one non-bonding hybrid orbitals contribute to the ammonia’s sp3 hybridization (NH3).
The ammonia (NH3) molecule’s orbital overlapping is shown below:
Polarity of NH3
Due to its asymmetrical shape, i.e. trigonal pyramidal structure, and the difference in electronegativities of N(3.04) and H(3.04), the NH3 (Ammonia) molecule is polar in nature. Because the charges on the nitrogen and hydrogen atoms are unequally distributed, NH3 (Ammonia) has a net dipole moment, making it a polar molecule.
Frequently Asked Questions on NH3 Resonance Structures
Is NH3 an acid or a base?
Ammonia, NH3, is a Lewis base with a lone pair. It will give electrons to compounds that accept them.
Is NH3 positive or negative?
Ammonia is a neutral molecule.
Is there a resonance structure in NH3?
None. Ammonium has no π bonds at all, and so it cannot have any resonance.
What is the NH3 structure?
The ammonia molecule is trigonal pyramidal in shape and has a bond angle of 107°. The central nitrogen atom has five outer electrons, plus one from each hydrogen atom.
Is NH3 polar or nonpolar?
NH3is a polar molecule because it has three dipoles that do not cancel each other out and thus, have net dipole moments.
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