How many dots are present in the Lewis dot symbol for a nitrogen atom?

• A. 8
• B. 7
• C. 3
• D. 5

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that the Lewis dot symbol represents the valence electrons of an atom as dots around the element's chemical symbol.
2. Determine the number of valence electrons for nitrogen by looking at its group number in the periodic table. Nitrogen is in group 15 (or group 5A), which means it has 5 valence electrons.
3. Draw the chemical symbol for nitrogen, which is 'N'.
4. Place one dot for each valence electron around the symbol, following the convention of placing single dots on each side before pairing them.
5. Count the total number of dots placed around the 'N' symbol; this number corresponds to the number of valence electrons, which is 5 for nitrogen.