What is the electron configuration of nitrogen?

Nitrogen's ground-state electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p³. In noble-gas shorthand it is written [He] 2s² 2p³, where [He] represents the 1s² core shared with helium.

Why does nitrogen have 3 unpaired electrons?

Nitrogen's three 2p electrons obey Hund's rule: each occupies a different p orbital (2px, 2py, 2pz) with the same spin (all spin-up) before any pairing. This half-filled 2p subshell minimizes electron-repulsion energy and is extra stable.

How many valence electrons does nitrogen have?

Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons: 2 in the 2s orbital and 3 in the 2p subshell (n=2 shell). These electrons participate in bonding.

What are the quantum numbers for nitrogen's 7th electron?

The seventh electron enters the 2pz orbital: n=2, l=1, mℓ=+1, mΰ=+½ (spin-up, by Hund's rule all three 2p electrons enter with spin-up).

Why does nitrogen form 3 bonds?

Nitrogen has 3 unpaired electrons in 2px, 2py, and 2pz. Each can overlap with a half-filled orbital on another atom to form a covalent bond, explaining NH₃ (three N–H bonds) and N₂ (triple bond using all three 2p orbitals).

What is the noble-gas notation for nitrogen?

[He] 2s² 2p³. The [He] shorthand represents the completely filled 1s² core that nitrogen shares with helium.

How does nitrogen's configuration differ from carbon and oxygen?

Carbon (Z=6) is [He] 2s² 2p² with 2 unpaired 2p electrons; nitrogen (Z=7) is [He] 2s² 2p³ with 3 unpaired (half-filled, extra stable); oxygen (Z=8) is [He] 2s² 2p⁴ where one 2p orbital must double-up, making oxygen slightly less stable per electron.

Nitrogen Electron Configuration

Name: Nitrogen Electron Configuration
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Author: Nham Vu

Explore nitrogen's electron configuration 1s² 2s² 2p³, its orbital box diagram, quantum numbers, and shell diagrams for any element by atomic number.

Element 7 — Nitrogen

1s² 2s² 2p³

Noble-gas notation: [He] 2s² 2p³ • 5 valence electrons

Electron Configuration Notations

Full spdf Notation 1s² 2s² 2p³

Noble-Gas Shorthand [He] 2s² 2p³

Subshell Breakdown

1s² 2s² 2p³

Valence Shell 2s² 2p³ (5 electrons, n=2)

Core Electrons 1s² (2 electrons, [He] core)

Unpaired Electrons 3 (in 2px, 2py, 2pz)

Half-filled stability: Nitrogen's 2p subshell is exactly half-filled (one electron per orbital, all spin-up). This maximizes exchange energy and minimizes electron repulsion, making nitrogen's configuration unusually stable compared to its neighbors carbon and oxygen.

Quantum Numbers for All 7 Electrons

n = principal • l = azimuthal • mₗ = magnetic • mₛ = spin

# Electron	Orbital	n	l	mₗ	mₛ

Quantum Number Key

n (principal) — shell number; determines size and energy. For nitrogen: n=1 (1s) or n=2 (2s, 2p).

l (azimuthal) — subshell shape. l=0 → s orbital; l=1 → p orbital.

mₗ (magnetic) — orbital orientation. For p: −1, 0, or +1.

mₛ (spin) — +½ (spin-up ↑) or −½ (spin-down ↓).

Summary

Explore nitrogen's electron configuration 1s² 2s² 2p³, its orbital box diagram, quantum numbers, and shell diagrams for any element by atomic number.

How it works

Nitrogen has 7 protons, so the neutral atom has 7 electrons.
Electrons fill orbitals from lowest to highest energy following the Aufbau principle: 1s → 2s → 2p.
The first two fill 1s, the next two fill 2s, and the final three each occupy a separate 2p orbital (2px, 2py, 2pz) with spin-up — Hund's rule.
Use the tabs to switch between notations, the orbital box diagram, quantum numbers, and the element explorer.
In the Element Explorer tab, enter any atomic number 1–36 to see the electron configuration and shell population for that element.

Use cases

Review nitrogen's electron configuration for a chemistry exam.
Understand why the half-filled 2p subshell makes nitrogen stable.
Look up the four quantum numbers (n, l, mℓ, mΰ) for each of the 7 electrons.
Compare the full spdf notation to the noble-gas shorthand.
Explore shell diagrams for any element from hydrogen to krypton.
Teach orbital filling order and Hund's rule with an interactive diagram.
Verify why nitrogen forms three covalent bonds (three unpaired 2p electrons).

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-18 · Reviewed by Nham Vu