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Give reason(s) why elemental nitrogen exists as a diatomic molecular whereas elemental phosphorus as a tetraatomic molecule.

Give reason(s) why elemental nitrogen exists as a diatomic molecular whereas elemental phosphorus as a tetraatomic molecule.

Grade:upto college level

1 Answers

Navjyot Kalra
askIITians Faculty 654 Points
9 years ago
Elemental nitrogen exists-as a diatomic molecule because nitrogen can form pπ – pπ multiple bonds which is not possible in case of phosphorus due to repulsion between, non-bonded electrons of the inner core. There is no such repulsion in case of smaller nitrogen atoms as they have only Is2 electrons in their inner core.

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