Question

how many electrons does nitrogen (n) need to gain to have a stable outer electron shell? 1 2 3 4

Explanation:

Step1: Recall nitrogen's electron - configuration

Nitrogen has an atomic number of 7, with an electron - configuration of 1s²2s²2p³. Its outer shell (the second shell) can hold a maximum of 8 electrons.

Step2: Calculate the number of electrons needed

The outer shell of nitrogen has 5 electrons. To achieve a stable outer - shell with 8 electrons, we calculate 8 - 5.
8−5 = 3

Answer:

3 (corresponding to option C if the options are numbered as in the image)