What is the Lewis dot formation of N2?

The Lewis dot structure for a nitrogen molecule (N₂) represents the sharing of electrons between the two nitrogen atoms to achieve a stable configuration.

Here’s how you can draw the Lewis structure for N₂:

1. Count the valence electrons: Each nitrogen atom (N) has 5 valence electrons (since nitrogen is in group 15 of the periodic table), so for N₂, there are 10 valence electrons total.
2. Connect the atoms: Nitrogen atoms will bond together by sharing electrons to fulfill the octet rule (each nitrogen needs 8 electrons in its outer shell).
3. Distribute electrons: To achieve stability, two electrons (one pair) are shared between the nitrogen atoms, forming a single bond. However, since nitrogen needs 8 electrons, they will share additional electron pairs. The final structure will include:
   • A triple bond between the two nitrogen atoms (sharing 6 electrons).
   • Each nitrogen atom will have a lone pair (2 electrons) remaining.
4. Final structure: The Lewis dot structure for N₂ will look like this

    

   Here:

   • The triple bond (≡) indicates that three pairs of electrons are shared.
   • The colons (:) represent lone pairs of electrons on each nitrogen atom.

   This arrangement ensures that both nitrogen atoms achieve a full octet of electrons.