Question
two representative elements, nitrogen and oxygen, are in the same period of the periodic table. which statement correctly describes the atoms of the two elements?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) are both found in Period 2 of the periodic table and belong to Group 15 and Group 16, respectively. Here are a few key points that correctly describe the atoms of these two elements:
1. **Atomic Number**: Nitrogen has an atomic number of 7, while oxygen has an atomic number of 8, which means oxygen has one more proton and one more electron than nitrogen.
2. **Electron Configuration**: The electron configuration of nitrogen is \(1s^2 2s^2 2p^3\) and for oxygen it is \(1s^2 2s^2 2p^4\). This indicates that nitrogen has five valence electrons, while oxygen has six.
3. **Chemical Reactivity**: Oxygen is generally more reactive than nitrogen due to its higher electronegativity and its ability to form bonds with a wider variety of elements.
4. **Molecular Forms**: Nitrogen typically exists as diatomic molecules (N₂) in nature, while oxygen also exists as diatomic molecules (O₂) but can also form ozone (O₃).
In summary, while nitrogen and oxygen are both nonmetals and share the same period, they differ in their atomic structure, electron configuration, reactivity, and molecular forms.
1. **Atomic Number**: Nitrogen has an atomic number of 7, while oxygen has an atomic number of 8, which means oxygen has one more proton and one more electron than nitrogen.
2. **Electron Configuration**: The electron configuration of nitrogen is \(1s^2 2s^2 2p^3\) and for oxygen it is \(1s^2 2s^2 2p^4\). This indicates that nitrogen has five valence electrons, while oxygen has six.
3. **Chemical Reactivity**: Oxygen is generally more reactive than nitrogen due to its higher electronegativity and its ability to form bonds with a wider variety of elements.
4. **Molecular Forms**: Nitrogen typically exists as diatomic molecules (N₂) in nature, while oxygen also exists as diatomic molecules (O₂) but can also form ozone (O₃).
In summary, while nitrogen and oxygen are both nonmetals and share the same period, they differ in their atomic structure, electron configuration, reactivity, and molecular forms.