How many inner core and valence electrons does the nitrogen atom possess?

• A. inner core = 4; valence = 3
• B. inner core = 2; valence = 3
• C. inner core = 2; valence = 5
• D. inner core = 4; valence = 5

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Start by identifying the atomic number of nitrogen, which is 7. This means a neutral nitrogen atom has 7 electrons.
2. Understand the concept of electron configuration, which describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. For nitrogen, the electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p³.
3. Determine the inner core electrons. These are the electrons in the filled inner shells. For nitrogen, the inner core electrons are those in the 1s orbital, which is 1s², totaling 2 electrons.
4. Identify the valence electrons. Valence electrons are those in the outermost shell that participate in chemical bonding. For nitrogen, the valence electrons are in the 2s and 2p orbitals, which are 2s² 2p³, totaling 5 electrons.
5. Summarize the findings: Nitrogen has 2 inner core electrons and 5 valence electrons.