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Ch.11 - Chemical Bonding II: Molecular Shapes, VSEPR & MO Theory
Chapter 11, Problem 53a

The valence electron configurations of several atoms are shown here. How many bonds can each atom make without hybridization? a. N 2s22p3

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom and are crucial in determining how an atom can bond with others. The number of valence electrons influences the atom's ability to form bonds, as these electrons are involved in chemical reactions and bond formation.
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Bonding Capacity

The bonding capacity of an atom refers to the maximum number of bonds it can form with other atoms. This is determined by the number of unpaired valence electrons; for example, nitrogen (N) with a configuration of 2s²2p³ has three unpaired electrons, allowing it to form three covalent bonds.
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Hybridization

Hybridization is the process of mixing atomic orbitals to create new hybrid orbitals for bonding. In the context of the question, it specifies that the bonding capacity is being assessed without considering hybridization, meaning we only look at the unpaired valence electrons in their original orbitals.
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