Question

How does silver and nitrogen bond?

Answer 1

Hint: The silver atom is a metal and nitrogen is a non-metal. When a metal atom is bonded to a non-metal atom then an ionic compound is formed. To determine the compound one should know the atomic number and the electronic configuration of the element.

Complete step by step answer:
The chemical compounds are formed when the two or more than two atoms bond together. Mostly when a metal atom and no-metal atom bond together ionic compounds are formed. The ionic compounds are considered as those compounds where the charge dissociation takes place forming a cation and anion. Both the cation and anions are bonded together by an ionic bond. The ionic bonds are considered as those bonds which are formed by the transfer of electrons between the two atoms.
When two non-metals are bonded with each other then covalent compounds are formed. In covalent compounds the two atoms are bonded by covalent bond which is formed by the mutual sharing of the electrons between the atoms.
Here you can see in the question that the two atoms given are silver which is a metal and nitrogen is a non-metal. So the resulting compound formed will be an ionic compound.
Nitrogen is a group15 chemical element present in the p-block of the periodic table. The atomic number of nitrogen is 7. The electronic configuration of nitrogen is $[He]2{s^2}2{p^3}$. Silver is a group 11 element present in the d-block of the periodic table. The atomic number of silver is 47 and the electronic configuration of the silver is $[Kr]4{d^{10}}5{s^1}$
The valence electrons of nitrogen is 5, so it will gain 3 electrons to form ${N^{3 - }}$. The valence electrons of silver is 1 so it will lose its one electron to form $A{g^ + }$. Now the ${N^{3 - }}$ and $A{g^ + }$ combine to form $A{g_3}N$. The name of the compound is silver nitride.

Note:
Silver nitride is the explosive chemical compound. It does not have solubility in the water but it decomposes in the mineral acid. When the decomposition is done in concentrated acids then it is highly explosive.