Answer:
A. 4
Explanation:
In the Lewis structure of the nitrate ion NO3, you have one nitrogen atom and three oxygen atoms. Each oxygen atom contributes 6 valence electrons, and nitrogen contributes 5 valence electrons, considering that nitrogen is in Group 15 of the periodic table.
In this structure, nitrogen forms a double bond with one oxygen atom and single bonds with the other two oxygen atoms. Each of the oxygen atoms then has a lone pair of electrons. Therefore, there are 3 x 2 = 6 lone pairs of electrons in the nitrate ion.
The correct answer is A. 4
