What Is the Electron Configuration for Nitrogen? Simply Explained

Nitrogen has an atomic number 7 with an electronic configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p³. This means those 7 electrons are across these three orbitals.

It is an element of the 15^th group in the periodic table and has a mass number of 14.01u.

Of these seven electrons, two electrons are located in the inner orbit, akin to the carbon electron configuration.

The remaining five electrons are distributed in the outer orbit, as shown below.

Nitrogen ground state electron configuration

• The electronic configuration of nitrogen is 1S² 2S² 2P³.

• The outermost orbital has a capacity of eight electrons.

• The 1S₂ orbital is the innermost and has two stable electrons with the lowest energy.

• 2S₂ orbital is in the outer shell and has two stable electrons with opposite spin.

• The nitrogen has a half-filled ‘P’ orbital, which is comparatively more stable.

• Thus, the ‘p‘ orbital is the outermost shell.

• Nitrogen needs to have a fulfilled ‘P’ orbital to achieve a stable gas configuration.

• The closest noble gas neon (Ne) has the electronic configuration 1s2 2s2 2p6.

• Thus, the nitrogen needs to get 3 more electrons.

Nitrogen can form 3 covalent bonds with another atom of nitrogen to get a ground-state electron configuration.

Thus, it shares 3 electrons and completes the octet in both atoms.

Configuration in different forms of nitrogen.

Elemental nitrogen (N₂-gas)

• Here, each atom of nitrogen is bonded to another atom via 3 bonds.

• Thus, a triple bond exists in this compound.

• One ‘S’ and a single ‘2P’ orbital combine to form ‘2 SP’ orbitals.

• One ‘sp’ orbital of nitrogen axially overlaps with the sp orbital of the other nitrogen to form a sigma bond.

• The lone pair of each nitrogen is contained in the other sp orbitals.

• There is a sideways overlap of p orbitals of nitrogen to form 2 pi bonds.

• So, each nitrogen shares 3 electrons and fills its outer orbitals.

Thus, it forms a linear structure that is SP hybridized.

Ammonia (NH₃)

• The single 2s and the three 2p orbitals hybridize to give sp₃ orbitals.

• Three sp₃ orbitals are used to form bonds.

• Each bonded sp₃ orbital overlaps with the s orbital of the hydrogen atom, thus forming an N-H bond.

• The non-bonding sp₃ orbital contains a lone pair of electrons.

• Thus, nitrogen forms three bonds that share three electrons with hydrogen.

• So, it completes the octet, and the p orbital is filled.

• The hydrogen atoms also complete their duplet and completely fill their outer 1s orbital.

A tetrahedral structure is thus formed, and NH₃ (ammonia) is sp₃ hybridized.

Nitrosyl chloride (NOCl)

Here the central atom is nitrogen, and it is doubly bonded to one oxygen atom and singly bonded to one chlorine atom.

• Thus, it shares three electrons and completes its outer shell.

• Here, the nitrogen is sp₂ hybridized, having a triangular planar structure.

• Three sp2 orbitals are present: oxygen overlapping with one orbital, chlorine overlapping with another, and the last orbital occupied by an electron lone pair.

• Nitrogen also forms a pi bond with the oxygen to which it is bonded.