Chapter 9, Problem 9.76QP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

Three reasonable resonance structures of azide ion $N_3^{-}$ have to be drawn.  Formal charges have to be shown.

Concept Introduction:

Resonance structures refers to different forms of a same molecule which has same chemical bonding between the atoms but different electron distribution among the atoms in the molecule.

Formal charge on an atom refers to the difference between number of valence electrons of each atom and the total number of electrons present in that atom.

It is calculated by an equation,

${\text{formal charge = e}}_{\text{v}}{\text{-e}}_{\text{n}}\text{-}\frac{{\text{e}}_{\text{b}}}{\text{2}}$

Where,

$\begin{array}{l}{\text{e}}_{\text{v}}\text{= no}\text{.of valence electrons}\\ {\text{e}}_{\text{b}}\text{= no}\text{.of bonding electrons}\\ {\text{e}}_{\text{n}}\text{= no}\text{.of unshared}\text{electrons}\end{array}$