The compound cyanogen (CN)2 has covalent bonds shown in this diagram.

Question

Starting at left, an N connected by three lines, one above the other, to a C connected by one line to a C connected by three lines, one above the other, to an N.
How many electrons are shared between one nitrogen atom and one carbon atom?

two
three
six
seven

Answer 1

In the compound cyanogen (CN)₂, the nitrogen (N) atoms are connected to the carbon (C) atoms with triple bonds. A triple bond consists of three shared pairs of electrons.

Given the description of the bonding in cyanogen, where one nitrogen atom is connected to one carbon atom with three lines (representing the triple bond), we can conclude that the number of electrons shared between one nitrogen atom and one carbon atom is:

Six electrons (as three pairs of electrons are shared in a triple bond).