* Nitrogen's Electron Configuration: Nitrogen has an atomic number of 7, meaning it has 7 protons and 7 electrons. Its electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p³.

* Valence Electrons: The valence electrons are the ones in the outermost shell, which in nitrogen's case are in the 2s and 2p orbitals. There are 5 valence electrons (2s² 2p³).

* Full Valence Shell: A full valence shell for nitrogen would have 8 electrons (2s² 2p⁶).

* Electrons to Lose: To achieve a full valence shell, nitrogen would need to gain 3 electrons (not lose any).

Important Note: Atoms gain or lose electrons to achieve a stable, full outer shell configuration. Nitrogen is more likely to gain electrons to become an anion (negatively charged ion) with a -3 charge.