Study Guides/Chemistry/N3- Lewis Structure
Study Guide · Chemistry

N3⁻ (Azide Ion) — Structure and Bonding

N3⁻ is the azide ion — a polyatomic anion with 3 nitrogen atoms and a negative charge. It is an important topic in Class 11-12 Chemical Bonding.

Question (Click to Flip)

Is N3⁻ paramagnetic or diamagnetic?

Answer

N3⁻ is diamagnetic — all its electrons are paired in the bonding and lone pair orbitals.

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Key Facts

Sodium azide (NaN3) is the chemical in car airbags. On impact, it decomposes explosively: 2NaN3 → 2Na + 3N2, releasing nitrogen gas to instantly inflate the bag.

Lewis Structure of N3⁻

Total valence electrons = 3 × 5 (from N) + 1 (from negative charge) = 16 electrons

The azide ion has two major resonance structures:

  1. [:N=N=N:]⁻ — central N forms double bonds with both terminal N atoms.
  2. [:N≡N-N:]²⁻[:N-N≡N:]²⁻ — triple bond on one side.

The actual structure is a resonance hybrid of these forms.

Key Properties

  • Shape: Linear (180° bond angle)
  • Bond Order: (2+3+1+2+1+3)/6 = 2 (average bond order is 2)
  • Hybridisation of central N: sp
  • Charge: -1 overall

Questions and Answers

Is N3⁻ paramagnetic or diamagnetic?+

N3⁻ is **diamagnetic** — all its electrons are paired in the bonding and lone pair orbitals.

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