Nitrogen molecule in 3D
N₂ · A strong bond in the air around us. Nitrogen gas is a major component of air and a starting material for industrial ammonia production. Explore the 3D model, inspect its parts and learn with guided explanations. Free on Atlas.
What you can learn
N₂ · A strong bond in the air around us. Nitrogen gas is a major component of air and a starting material for industrial ammonia production.
Count the 2 atoms. Match their element colours to the formula N₂.
Select a bond and identify the two atoms it connects. N₂ has a nitrogen–nitrogen triple bond in its Lewis structure. Breaking this connection requires considerable energy.
Rotate the model to the side. Two nitrogen nuclei form a linear diatomic molecule. There is no central atom with a bond angle.
Explain the difference between the atoms present and the molecule they form. A triple bond is one connection between two atoms with three shared electron pairs in a Lewis model. It does not mean there are three nitrogen atoms.
Connect the model to daily life. Nitrogen gas is a major component of air and a starting material for industrial ammonia production.
What is missing from a ball-and-stick picture? Consider electron density, movement and interactions with nearby molecules.
Try an investigation
Count the 2 atoms. Match their element colours to the formula N₂.
Check your understanding
How many atoms are in one N₂ molecule?
2. Add the atom counts in N₂: one molecule contains 2 atoms. Subscripts belong to the element or group immediately before them.
How many different elements make up N₂?
1. Nitrogen contains nitrogen. Count element types separately from the total atom count.
What shape describes N₂?
Linear. Two nitrogen nuclei form a linear diatomic molecule. There is no central atom with a bond angle.
How many shared pairs does the triple bond represent?
Three. N₂ has a nitrogen–nitrogen triple bond in its Lewis structure. Breaking this connection requires considerable energy.
How many nitrogen atoms are in N₂?
Two. A triple bond is one connection between two atoms with three shared electron pairs in a Lewis model. It does not mean there are three nitrogen atoms.
What do the sticks in this nitrogen model represent?
Chemical connections between atoms. Ball-and-stick models help compare connections and spatial arrangement. Real molecules have electron distributions and vibrating nuclei, not coloured balls joined by rods.
Sources and model scope
Atomic centres use a PubChem computed 3D conformer, scaled for display.