Respuesta :
Nitrogen has 5 electrons in the outer shell meaning it needs 3 bonds to have a stable, noble gas configuration hence NH3. Carbon has 4 electrons in the outer shell so it needs to make 4 bonds to become stable so CH4
Nitrogen is stable with three single covalent bonds in ammonia while carbon is stable with four single covalent bonds in methane because nitrogen and carbon needs 3 and 4 electrons to complete their shell respectively.
OCTET RULE:
- The octet rule states that atoms of elements become stable when they have eight electrons in their outermost electron shell.
- Elements that have short of this (8 electrons) in their outermost shell will participate in chemical reactions to fill up the void.
- Nitrogen posseses 5 valence electrons in its outermost shell, hence, needs 3 more while carbon possess 4 valence electrons in its outermost shell and need 4 more.
- This means that nitrogen and carbon in ammonia (NH3) and methane (CH4) respectively will form three and four single covalent bonds to fill their outermost electron shell.
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