CoScine Creative
  • Home
  • About
  • Articles
  • Shop Worksheets

How Do You Figure Out the Charge on the Azide Ion?

12/18/2018

0 Comments

 
Many high school courses don't have time to go over formal charge, so you may need a refresher.
Picture
This is a complimentary post in order for you to understand more about the azide ion. To check out the ionic/covalent worksheet where this ion was introduced click here, or read the blog post of frequently asked questions here.
Picture

Let's calculate the formal charge on the left nitrogen

1) Calculate the number of valence electrons in a neutral atom. In this case it would be 5, which you find that number based on the column number nitrogen is in. 2) Subtract half of the number of bonding electrons. There are 4 bonding electrons, and half of that would be 2. 3) Subtract the number of nonbonding electrons. There are 4 bonding electrons, so you would subtract 4. Finally, 5 - 2 -4 = -1. So the charge on this first nitrogen would be -1.
Picture

Let's calculate the formal charge on the center nitrogen

1) Calculate the number of valence electrons in a neutral atom. In this case it would be 5, which you find that number based on the column number nitrogen is in. 2) Subtract half of the number of bonding electrons. There are 8 bonding electrons, and half of that would be 4. 3) Subtract the number of nonbonding electrons. There are 0 bonding electrons, so you would subtract 0. Finally, 5 - 4 -0 = -1. So the charge on the central nitrogen would be +1.
Picture

Let's calculate the formal charge on the right nitrogen

1) Calculate the number of valence electrons in a neutral atom. In this case it would be 5, which you find that number based on the column number nitrogen is in. 2) Subtract half of the number of bonding electrons. There are 4 bonding electrons, and half of that would be 2. 3) Subtract the number of nonbonding electrons. There are 4 bonding electrons, so you would subtract 4. Finally, 5 - 2 -4 = -1. So the charge on this first nitrogen would be -1.
Picture
So, overall the left nitrogen is -1, the central nitrogen is, +1, and the right nitrogen is -1. If you add all that up, you get an overall -1 charge, and that is why azide has a -1 charge.

Picture
If you'd like to see this in a video form, check out this link.

Or, if you'd like to use the ionic covalent coloring worksheet with your high school, middle school, or homeschool chemistry students, go here.
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    Hi! I'm CoScine. I write chemistry worksheets for visual learners. They are fun, easy to follow, and most of them are quick to grade. Since I started my teaching career at the college level, these are just simple chemistry. These worksheets are hard core science.

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018

    Categories

    All
    Chemistry
    Classroom Management
    Quantum Numbers
    Tutoring Center

Home

About

Articles

Shop Worksheets

  • Home
  • About
  • Articles
  • Shop Worksheets