Question

What is the oxidation number for nitrogen?

Answer 1

Nitrogen has several oxidation numbers. However, the most common oxidation state is -3 or `N^(-3)`

Nitrogen has as an electron configuration of
`1s^2 2s^2 2p^3`

In order to satisfy the rule of octet the nitrogen atom will take on three electrons to become
`1s^2 2s^2 2p^6`

In doing so Nitrogen becomes a -3 ion of `N^(-3)`

I hope this was helpful.
SMARTERTEACHER