Table of Contents
The formula for sodium nitride is explained in this article. A highly unstable alkali metal nitride, it is an inorganic compound. Atomic beams of nitrogen and sodium are combined and deposited on a sapphire substrate at low temperatures to create it. As a result, it readily decomposes into its constituent elements. Sodium Nitride has the molecular formula Na3N.
The bandgap is that of a semiconductor at room temperature, and almost 90% of the atoms are ionic. There is an anti-ReO structure consisting of a simple lattice composed of NNa octahedra. There is a 236.6 pm bond length between Na and N. Through X-ray diffraction, structural conformation can be determined.
Depending on its synthesis process, the compound appears reddish-brown to dark blue. The material does not have a melting point.
What is Sodium Nitride Chemical Formula?
As it does not contain carbon-hydrogen atoms, sodium nitride is an inorganic compound. According to its chemical formula, sodium nitride contains highly unstable alkali metal nitride. The periodic table places sodium in group 1. In this case, electrons are created by losing 1+ions, i.e. Na+, resulting in single free electrons.
The element nitrogen belongs to the periodic table’s group 5.
A nitrogen ion is formed when three electrons are gained, resulting in N3-ions. In order to create them, nitrogen and sodium atoms, which are deposited on sapphire under low temperatures, are combined. There are 82.976 g in a molecular mass of sodium nitride. By balancing the constituent ions, the ionic component is created. As a result, three sodium ions are balanced with one nitride ion to form the ionic components.
Na3N is the chemical formula for sodium nitride. It is as highly unstable as sodium nitride. The elemental composition of sodium nitride is sodium and nitrogen, which readily dissolve into each other.
2 Na3N → 6 Na + N2
(Formula of Sodium Nitride)
Sodium nitride’s molecule formula needs to be calculated. Binary ionic compounds are named according to the following rules:
1. Metals keep their names and are named and written first.
2. Now that the nonmetal name’s ending is -ide, it keeps its base name.
Ionic compounds typically consist of a metal (Na), which is a member of Group 1A. There is a charge of +1 on it. Na+ represents metal ions. Nitrogen is the nonmetal counterpart of nitride. The Group 5A elements have the ability to form -3 ions. So, N3- is the nonmetallic ion. When the charge of the ion goes to the subscript of the counterion, it gives rise to ionic compounds. It will appear as Na3N in the formula unit or molecular formula.
Structure of Sodium Nitride
The Anti-ReO structure of sodium nitride can be seen in its formula. A simple lattice structure is also found in sodium nitride, which is composed of NNa Octahedra. Approximately 236.6 pm is the length of the N-Na bond. X-ray diffraction can be used to record the structural formation of sodium nitride. It shares the same anion as sodium nitride with sodium amide and sodium imide. Lithium nitride and potassium nitride contain a similar cation.
An Overview of the Chemistry of Sodium Nitride
- Nitrate of sodium has a bandgap equal to that of semiconductors at its ambient temperature.
- Sodium nitride is a dark blue-red to reddish-brown color. Based on the synthesis process, sodium nitrides have different colors.
- The nitride of sodium does not have a boiling point.
- Melting points and boiling points of sodium and nitrogen ionic compounds are very high. The oppositely charged ions are attracted to each other due to electrostatic attraction.
- Sodium nitride can be formed with an enthalpy rate of approximately +64 kJ/mol.
- Nitrides of sodium can be dissolved in water.
- Decomposition of sodium nitride takes place at 86.85°C or 360°K.
Synthesis of Sodium Nitride
By thermal decomposition of NaNH2 or by the direct method, sodium nitrite can be synthesized. A cavity is created when sodium forms in nitrogen and nitrogen are introduced into it as sodium ions and they will rearrange themselves and accommodate near nitrogen. Sodium ions move closer to nitrogen to form the conduction band of s electrons. Between them, there is an energy bandgap, which creates a metallic compound that is equivalent to a semiconductor or insulator.
Sodium Nitride Chemical Formula:
The chemical formula for sodium nitride is Na3N. It consists of three sodium atoms (Na) and one nitrogen atom (N). The subscript numbers indicate the number of atoms present in the compound.
Example: Let’s consider a sample of sodium nitride. In this case, three sodium atoms combine with one nitrogen atom to form a molecule of sodium nitride. The chemical formula for this compound would be Na3N.
Magnesium Nitride Formula:
The chemical formula for magnesium nitride is Mg3N2. It contains three magnesium atoms (Mg) and two nitrogen atoms (N).
Example: If we take three magnesium atoms and combine them with two nitrogen atoms, we will obtain a molecule of magnesium nitride, represented by the chemical formula Mg3N2.
Sodium Nitride Ionic or Covalent:
Sodium nitride (Na3N) is an ionic compound. Ionic compounds are formed when there is a transfer of electrons between atoms. In the case of sodium nitride, three sodium atoms lose one electron each and transfer them to the nitrogen atom. This results in the formation of positively charged sodium ions (Na+) and negatively charged nitride ions (N3-). The strong electrostatic attraction between these oppositely charged ions holds the compound together.
Potassium Nitride Formula:
The chemical formula for potassium nitride is K3N. It consists of three potassium atoms (K) and one nitrogen atom (N).
Example: By combining three potassium atoms with one nitrogen atom, we can create a molecule of potassium nitride, represented by the chemical formula K3N.
Calcium Nitride Formula:
The chemical formula for calcium nitride is Ca3N2. It contains three calcium atoms (Ca) and two nitrogen atoms (N).
Example: When three calcium atoms react with two nitrogen atoms, they form a molecule of calcium nitride, indicated by the chemical formula Ca3N2.
Sodium Nitrogen Balanced Equation:
A balanced equation represents a chemical reaction in which the number of atoms of each element is equal on both sides. To write a balanced equation for the reaction involving sodium and nitrogen to form sodium nitride, we need to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is balanced.
Example:
2 Na + N2 → 2 Na3N
In this equation, two sodium atoms (2 Na) react with one nitrogen molecule (N2) to produce two molecules of sodium nitride (2 Na3N).
Aluminum Nitride Formula:
The chemical formula for aluminum nitride is AlN. It consists of one aluminum atom (Al) and one nitrogen atom (N).
Example: When an aluminum atom combines with a nitrogen atom, they form a molecule of aluminum nitride, represented by the chemical formula AlN.
Sodium Nitride Lewis Dot Structure:
The Lewis dot structure is a way to represent the arrangement of valence electrons in a molecule or ion. In the case of sodium nitride (Na3N), we can determine the Lewis dot structure by considering the valence electrons of each atom.
Example:
In the Lewis dot structure for sodium nitride, each sodium atom (Na) would contribute one valence electron, while the nitrogen atom (N) would contribute five valence electrons. The three sodium atoms would form an ionic bond with the nitrogen atom, resulting in a stable compound.
Sodium Nitride Ionic Compound:
Sodium nitride (Na3N) is an example of an ionic compound. Ionic compounds are formed when there is a transfer of electrons between atoms, resulting in the formation of ions with opposite charges.
In the case of sodium nitride, the three sodium atoms each lose one electron to form three sodium ions (Na+), and the nitrogen atom gains three electrons to form a nitride ion (N3-). The resulting compound is held together by strong electrostatic attractions between the positively and negatively charged ions.
These ionic compounds generally have high melting and boiling points and conduct electricity when dissolved in water or melted.
Conclusion
Sodium nitride is an inorganic compound, which means it does not contain carbon-hydrogen bonds. Nitrides of sodium are highly unstable alkali metals. As a result, they can easily decompose into sodium and nitrogen ions. Potassium nitride and lithium nitride have the same cation as lithium nitride, but are alkali metals that are stable. In either case, sodium nitride (Na3N) can be synthesized by thermal decomposition of NaNH2 or by a direct reaction. Food preservation is widely practiced with them.
FAQs
What Is The Formula Unit Of Sodium Nitride?
The formula unit of sodium nitride represents the simplest ratio of ions in the ionic compound. In the case of sodium nitride, the formula unit is Na3N, indicating that there are three sodium ions (Na+) for every one nitride ion (N3-) in the compound.
What Is The Chemical Formula For Sodium Nitride?
The chemical formula for sodium nitride is Na3N. It represents the composition of the compound, indicating that there are three sodium atoms (Na) and one nitrogen atom (N) present in each molecule of sodium nitride.
How Do I Figure Out The Formula For Sodium Nitride?
To determine the formula for sodium nitride, you need to consider the charges on the ions involved. Sodium (Na) is an alkali metal that typically loses one electron to form a sodium ion with a +1 charge (Na+). Nitrogen (N) is a nonmetal that tends to gain three electrons to form a nitride ion with a -3 charge (N3-).
To balance the charges and achieve a neutral compound, you need three sodium ions (+1 charge each) to balance the charge of one nitride ion (-3 charge). Thus, the formula for sodium nitride is Na3N.
What Is The Formula For The Ionic Compound Containing Sodium Ions And Nitride Ions?
The formula for the ionic compound containing sodium ions (Na+) and nitride ions (N3-) is Na3N, which represents sodium nitride. The ratio of sodium ions to nitride ions in this compound is 3:1, as indicated by the subscripts in the formula.
How Do You Write Sodium Nitride?
Sodium nitride is written as “sodium nitride” in English. However, if you are referring to the chemical formula, it is written as Na3N. The uppercase letters represent the chemical symbols for sodium (Na) and nitrogen (N), and the subscripts indicate the number of atoms of each element in the compound.
Why Is Na3N Sodium Nitride?
The formula Na3N is used to represent sodium nitride based on the charges of the ions involved. Sodium (Na) is an alkali metal that readily loses one electron to achieve a stable electron configuration, resulting in a +1 charge. Nitrogen (N), on the other hand, tends to gain three electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, giving it a -3 charge.
To form a neutral compound, the charges must balance. Three sodium ions (+1 charge each) are needed to balance the charge of one nitride ion (-3 charge). Thus, Na3N represents the compound formed when sodium ions and nitride ions combine, which is commonly known as sodium nitride.