Which element in HONC needs 3 electrons for stability?

Which element in HONC needs 3 electrons for stability?

• A. Hydrogen
• B. Oxygen
• C. Nitrogen
• D. Carbon

Answer: (C)

In the context of the HONC mnemonic, which stands for Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Carbon, it's important to understand the valence electron requirements for each element to achieve a stable electron configuration. Nitrogen, which is the focus here, has five valence electrons and requires three additional electrons to fill its outer shell. This results in a total of eight valence electrons, which is the configuration associated with stability due to the octet rule. In contrast, hydrogen only needs one electron, oxygen needs two, and carbon requires four electrons to achieve stability. Since nitrogen is uniquely positioned in this mnemonic with its requirement of three electrons, it is integral to many biological molecules, forming stable covalent bonds by sharing its electrons with other atoms. The ability of nitrogen to bond with three other elements is vital for the structure of amino acids, nucleotides, and many other biological compounds. Thus, nitrogen's requirement for three additional electrons is what designates it as the correct answer in this scenario.

In the context of the HONC mnemonic, which stands for Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Carbon, it's important to understand the valence electron requirements for each element to achieve a stable electron configuration. Nitrogen, which is the focus here, has five valence electrons and requires three additional electrons to fill its outer shell. This results in a total of eight valence electrons, which is the configuration associated with stability due to the octet rule.

In contrast, hydrogen only needs one electron, oxygen needs two, and carbon requires four electrons to achieve stability. Since nitrogen is uniquely positioned in this mnemonic with its requirement of three electrons, it is integral to many biological molecules, forming stable covalent bonds by sharing its electrons with other atoms. The ability of nitrogen to bond with three other elements is vital for the structure of amino acids, nucleotides, and many other biological compounds. Thus, nitrogen's requirement for three additional electrons is what designates it as the correct answer in this scenario.