The doubly charged ion N²⁺ is formed by removing two electrons from a nitrogen atom. What is the ground-state electron configuration for the N²⁺ ion?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the atomic number of nitrogen (N), which is 7. This means a neutral nitrogen atom has 7 electrons.
2. Write the ground-state electron configuration for a neutral nitrogen atom. The configuration is: 1s² 2s² 2p³.
3. Understand that the N²⁺ ion is formed by removing two electrons from the neutral nitrogen atom. Electrons are removed from the outermost shell first, which in this case is the 2p orbital.
4. Remove two electrons from the 2p orbital. The new electron configuration becomes: 1s² 2s² 2p¹.
5. Verify the final configuration: The N²⁺ ion now has 5 electrons, and the configuration 1s² 2s² 2p¹ reflects the ground state of the ion.

Key Concepts

Electron Configuration

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. It is represented using a notation that indicates the number of electrons in each subshell, following the Aufbau principle, Pauli exclusion principle, and Hund's rule. Understanding electron configuration is essential for predicting chemical behavior and bonding properties.

Ionization

Ionization is the process of removing one or more electrons from an atom or molecule, resulting in the formation of an ion. In the case of N2+, two electrons are removed from a neutral nitrogen atom, which has an atomic number of 7. This process alters the electron configuration and affects the ion's chemical properties.

Ground State

The ground state of an atom refers to the lowest energy configuration of its electrons. In this state, electrons occupy the lowest available energy levels according to the principles of quantum mechanics. For ions like N2+, determining the ground state configuration is crucial for understanding their stability and reactivity in chemical reactions.