That is correct…….. i think
Answer:
One of the bonds in nitrate is shorter than the other two.
Explanation:
We would firstly need to draw the Lewis structure for nitrate anion. To do this, let's follow the standard steps:
- calculate the total number of valence electrons: five from nitrogen, each oxygen contributes 6, so a total of 18 from oxygen atoms, as well as one from the negative charge, we have a total of 24 valence electrons;
- assign the central atom, usually this is the atom which is single; in this case, we have nitrogen as our central atom;
- assign single bonds to all the terminal atoms (oxygen atoms);
- assign octets to the terminal atoms and calculate the number of electrons assigned;
- the number of electrons assigned is 24, so no lone pairs are present on nitrogen;
- calculate the formal charges: each oxygen has a formal charge of -1 (formal charge is calculated subtracting the sum of lone pair electrons and bonds from the number of valence electrons of that atom); nitrogen has a formal charge of +2;
- nitrogen doesn't have an octet as well, so we'll both minimize its formal charge and make it obtain an octet if we make one double bond N=O.
Therefore, we may have 3 resonance structures, as this double bond might be formed with any of the 3 oxygen atoms.
By definition, double bonds are shorter than single ones, so one of the bonds is shorter than the other two.
