Pnictogen
A pnictogen is an element in group 15 of the periodic table: nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, or moscovium.
Periodic table: A tabular arrangement of chemical elements ordered by atomic number and recurring properties. Group 15 is one column in this map of repeating elemental properties.
Electron configuration: The distribution of an atom’s electrons among shells, subshells, and orbitals. The outer configuration ns²np³ underlies common pnictogen bonding behavior.
Haber process: An industrial process that synthesizes ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen. It converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia used widely for fertilizer production.
Chalcogen: An element in group 16 of the periodic table, including oxygen, sulfur, and selenium. The neighboring group has six valence electrons rather than the pnictogens’ five.
Group (periodic table): A vertical column of elements in the periodic table, whose members share recurring chemical properties. Pnictogens are defined by membership in group 15.
Oxidation state: A formal charge assigned to an atom under an electron-allocation convention in a compound. Pnictogens commonly display −3, +3, and +5 states, with patterns changing down the group.
Phosphate fertilizer: A fertilizer that supplies plants with phosphorus, commonly in phosphate compounds. Phosphorus is an essential plant nutrient and a major agricultural use of the family.
Carbon group: The elements in group 14 of the periodic table, including carbon, silicon, and tin. The adjacent group has four valence electrons and different characteristic bonding patterns.
Valence electron: An electron in an atom’s outer shell that participates in chemical bonding. Pnictogens generally have five valence electrons, shaping their bonding patterns.
Inert-pair effect: The tendency of a heavier p-block atom’s outer s-electron pair to resist bonding. It helps stabilize lower oxidation states in heavier pnictogens such as bismuth.