Here's why:
* Nitrogen's Electron Configuration: Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons.
* Triple Bond: In a nitrogen molecule, the two nitrogen atoms form a triple bond, sharing 6 electrons.
* Lone Pair: Each nitrogen atom has 2 electrons left over after forming the triple bond. These two electrons form a lone pair on each nitrogen atom.
So, there are two lone pairs total in a nitrogen molecule, one on each nitrogen atom.