| NO3- Lewis Structure |
| Calculate the number of valence electrons.
NO3- has 5 + 3(6) + 1= 24 valence electrons. |
| Calculate the number of electrons each element would like to have.
N= 8 * 1= 8 O= 8 * 3= 24 8+ 24= 32 electrons |
| Subtract to find the number of shared electrons.
32-24= 8 shared electrons, or 4 pairs of electrons shared |
| Figure out which element goes in the middle of the structure. This
will be the most electropositive element.
Nitrogen will go in the middle. |
| Nitrogen needs eight electrons. You have three oxygens. Draw the nitrogen in the middle, with the oxygens attached to it. |
| The Nitrogen now has six of its eight electrons. We calculated that
there are four shared pairs of electrons. Add
another bond to the structure. |
| Nitrogen is satisfied. The oxygens are not. One of them has four electrons (the one attached to the double bond) and the others have two electrons. Add the needed electrons to the oxygens. |
| Count to make sure you have all 24 electrons. All of the electrons are present, so the structure is complete. |
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