Question

What do the following denote?
(1) $N$
(2) $2N$
(3) ${N_2}$
(4) $2{N_2}$

Answer 1

Hint : In order to solve the above problem, we need to know what is an atom and what is a molecule. A molecule is known to be made up of two or more atoms that are bound together by chemical bonding. An atom is defined as the smallest unit which retains the properties of an element

Complete Step By Step Answer:
As we know, an atom is the smallest unit of an element and a molecule is made up of two or more atoms. We can identify the given symbols.
(1) $N$ refers to an atom of nitrogen.
(2) $2N$ represents two atoms of nitrogen that are not chemically bonded.
(3) ${N_2}$ refers to a molecule of nitrogen gas. Two atoms of nitrogen that are chemically bonded to give a molecule of nitrogen gas.
(4) $2{N_2}$ refers to two molecules of nitrogen gas.
Every atom contains a nucleus bounded with one or more electrons around it.
The nucleus has a similar number of protons and neutrons which are together known as nucleons. The protons are positively charged while the electrons are negatively charged. The neutrons are neutral.
Molecules are very small in size. They are in constant random motion. They always attract each other. The mass is equal to the sum of the masses of all individual atoms in the molecule.

Note :
Atoms are indivisible particles that can neither be created or destroyed. All molecules have definite size and mass which are dependent on the atoms from which the molecule is made. Molecules can be classified as monatomic, diatomic, triatomic, polyatomic.