The correct statement that describes the atoms of nitrogen and oxygen is:
A. They have valence electrons in the same energy level.
Here's the reasoning:
- Nitrogen (N) is in period 2 and has an atomic number of 7, meaning it has 7 electrons and its electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p³.
- Oxygen (O) is also in period 2 and has an atomic number of 8, with an electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p⁴.
Both nitrogen and oxygen have their valence electrons in the same outermost energy level (n=2).
The other options can be evaluated as follows:
- B. They have the same number of valence electrons. (Incorrect: Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons while oxygen has 6.)
- C. They have the same number of electrons. (Incorrect: Nitrogen has 7 electrons and oxygen has 8.)
- D. They have valence electrons in different energy levels. (Incorrect: They both have valence electrons in n=2.)
Thus, option A is correct.