Question

What is the valency of nitride?

Answer 1

The valency of an element can be determined easily by the oxidation number of that element, as valency is the ability of the element to combine with other elements to form a compound. Nitride is an ion of nitrogen, and nitrogen is the element of the p-block element as it is the element of group 15 and the period is 2 so, its atomic number is 7.

Complete answer:
The ability of the element to combine with other elements to form compounds is known as the valency of the element. The valency of an element can be determined easily by the oxidation number of that element. For example, if the valency of the element is 1, then it will either form +1 oxidation state or -1 oxidation state.
So, we have to find the valency of nitride. Nitride is an ion of nitrogen, and nitrogen is the element of the p-block element as it is the element of group 15 and the period is 2 so, its atomic number is 7. The configuration of nitrogen will be:
$1{{s}^{2}}2{{s}^{2}}2{{p}^{3}}$
Nitride ion is formed when the nitrogen atom completes its octet by gaining three electrons, the ion is represented as ${{N}^{3-}}$. So, the oxidation state of nitride ion is -3, therefore, its valency is 3.

Note:
The oxidation state of nitrogen -3 is not very common because to form nitride ion a very high amount of energy is needed, the oxidation state of nitrogen is -3 in $N{{H}_{3}}$. Some other oxidation states of it are +5, +3, +1, 0, etc.