Hydrogen Atom (H)
* Neutral Charge: A single hydrogen atom has a neutral charge. It contains one proton (positive charge) and one electron (negative charge), which balance each other out.
Ammonia Molecule (NH₃)
* Overall Neutral Charge: An ammonia molecule is also overall neutral. It consists of:
* One Nitrogen atom (N): Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons.
* Three Hydrogen atoms (H): Each hydrogen has 1 valence electron.
* Polar Covalent Bonds: The nitrogen atom has a stronger pull on the shared electrons in the N-H bonds (due to its higher electronegativity). This results in the nitrogen atom having a slightly negative charge (δ-) and each hydrogen atom having a slightly positive charge (δ+).
* The molecule is polar, not charged: While there are partial charges within the ammonia molecule, the overall molecule remains neutral because the positive and negative charges balance each other.
Key Points
* Electronegativity: The ability of an atom to attract electrons in a bond. Nitrogen is more electronegative than hydrogen.
* Polar Covalent Bond: A type of chemical bond where electrons are shared unequally.
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