The total number of valence electrons in a nitrate ion is

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A nitrate ion has the chemical formula NO3-.

To determine the total number of valence electrons in the nitrate ion, we need to sum the valence electrons of each individual component:

- Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons 
- Each of the 3 oxygen atoms has 6 valence electrons

Adding up the valence electrons from each component:

5 + (3 x 6) = 23

However, because the nitrate ion has a -1 charge, we need to add one additional electron to the total count:

23 + 1 = 24

Therefore, the correct answer is C) 24.

The Total Number of Valence Electrons in a Nitrate Ion