Question

Covalency of Nitrogen is restricted to?

• A. $2$
• B. $3$
• C. $4$
• D. $5$

Answer 1

The correct option is C

$4$

Explanation for the correct Option:

Option(C): $4$:-

• The number of electron pairs that an atom shares with one or more atoms of the same or different kind to achieve a stable electronic configuration is known as the covalency of that atom.
• The maximum covalency of any element can be calculated by counting the number of covalent and coordinate bonds that can be formed by it.
• In the Nitrogen atom, it has the atomic number 7 having the electronic configuration as: $1s^{2}2s^{2}2p^3$.
• From the electronic configuration of the N atom, it is evident that it has two $2\mathrm{s}$ electrons and three $2\mathrm{p}$ valence electrons.
• Althogh it has 5 electrons to share, it can only form 3 covalent bonds with one lone pair present on the Nitrogen atom or it can also form a maximum of 4 covalent bonds with having a positive charge on Nitrogen.
• Example: In Ammonia $\left({\mathrm{NH}}_3\right)$ , Nitrogen can form 4 bonds in total (3 covalent bonds and 1 co-ordinate bond) having covalency 4 and a positive formal charge on Nitrogen, which can be shown as:

Hence, the Covalency of Nitrogen is restricted to $4$.