Lewis Structure For Nitric Acid

HNO₃ (Nitric acid) Lewis Structure

HNO₃ (Nitric acid) lewis stricture is drawn step by footstep by using valence electrons of each element. In the lewis structure of nitric acid, there is a +1 charge on nitrogen atom and ane double bond between nitrogen and ane oxygen atom.

Lewis structure of nitric acrid

At that place is a N=O bond in nitric acid lewis construction. At that place are no lone pairs on nitrogen atom and also there are charges on one oxygen atom and nitrogen atom. You tin can see those signs in the post-obit figure.

HNO3 lewis structure

Steps of drawing lewis structure of HNO₃

There are some steps to follow to depict the HNO_three lewis structure and those steps are explained in detail in this tutorial.

Notice total number of electrons of the valance shells of hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen atoms
Total electrons pairs
Center atom selection
Put lone pairs on atoms
Mark charges
Check the stability and minimize charges on atoms by converting lone pairs to bonds.

Of import: Drawing correct lewis structure is important to draw resonance structures correctly.

Total number of electrons of the valance shells of HNO₃ acid

Hydrogen is a grouping IA element and has one electron in its last crush. Nitrogen is located at group VA and has five electrons in its valence shell. Oxygen is a group VIA chemical element in the periodic table and contains six electrons. Now nosotros know how many electrons are includes in valence shells of each atom.

valence electrons given by hydrogen atom = 1
valence electrons given by nitrogen cantlet = v
valence electrons given past oxygen atoms = six *3 = 18

Total valence electrons = ane + 5 + xviii = 24

Total valence electrons pairs

Full valance electrons pairs = σ bonds + π bonds + lone pairs at valence shells

Total electron pairs are determined by dividing the number total valence electrons by two. For, HNO_three, Total pairs of electrons are 12 in their valence shells.

Eye atom of HNO₃

To be the center atom, ability of having greater valance is important. Then, from hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, which atom has the highest valence. Nitrogen can show valence five which is greater than maximum valence of oxygen two. Therefore, nitrogen cantlet should exist the center atom of HNO₃.

sketch of HNO3

Lone pairs on atoms

After determining the center atom and sketch of HNO_iii, we should showtime to marking alone pairs on atoms.

There are already iii N-O bonds and 1 O-H in the drawn sketch structure. Therefore number of total bonds in the sketch is four. At present merely eight (12-4) valence electrons pairs are remaining to mark on atoms.
Get-go, mark those remaining viii valence electrons pairs as lone pairs in exterior atoms (on oxygen atoms). Considering oxygen atom follow octal rule (oxygen atom cannot keep more than viii electrons in its valence shell) exist careful to protect it.
Afterwards mark lonely pairs on oxygen atoms, in that location is no more lone pairs to marker on nitrogen atom (That is not a problem in steps of cartoon lewis structures!)

mark valence electrons in HNO3

Charges on atoms

After, mark electron pairs on atoms, we should mark charges of each atom. Two oxygen atoms volition get a -1 charge and nitrogen atom go a +2 charge.

mark charges on atoms in nitric acid

Check the stability and minimize charges on atoms by converting solitary pairs to bonds

Best lewis construction should accept low charges on atoms.

Oxygen atoms should hold negative charges because electronegativity of oxygen is higher than nitrogen. Otherwise, we can say, ability of holding negative charges is great in oxygen atoms than nitrogen cantlet.
The drawn structure is non a stable i because ii oxygen atoms and nitrogen atom have charges.
Now, nosotros should endeavour to minimize charges past converting lone pair or pairs to bonds. So convert one solitary pair of one oxygen atom to make a S-O bond (See the following effigy).
Now there is a double bail betwixt nitrogen atom and one oxygen cantlet. Now, there are two single bonds between nitrogen atom and other two oxygen atoms.

reduce charges to obtain best HNO3 lewis structure

In the new structure of HNO₃, charges are reduced. Therefore, this is the all-time lewis structure we tin can draw for HNO_three.

Questions

Are there alone pairs on nitrogen atom in HNO₃ lewis construction?

There are no alone pairs on nitrogen atom. There are two Northward-O bonds and i Due north=O bail. So, there is +1 charge on nitrogen atom.

Are their charges on oxygen atoms?

Two oxygen atoms have charges (-1 for those oxygen atom).

Is HNO₂ lewis construction is similar to HNO₃

No. Clearly they are dissimilar because there is ane more oxygen atom in HNO₃. Therefore, there should be another bond between nitrogen and that oxygen atom.