does NF3 follow the octet rule

Octat rule?

No, NF3 does not follow the octet rule. The octet rule states that many elements tend to gain, lose, or share electrons in order to achieve a stable electron configuration with eight valence electrons. However, in NF3 (nitrogen trifluoride), nitrogen has five valence electrons, and it forms three covalent bonds with fluorine atoms. This gives nitrogen a total of eight electrons around it, but it has only seven valence electrons.

To determine whether NF3 (Nitrogen Trifluoride) follows the octet rule, we need to examine the Lewis structure of the molecule.

- Draw the skeletal structure of NF3 with nitrogen (N) in the center and three fluorine (F) atoms bonded to it.
- Each bond consists of two electrons, so connect each F atom to N with a single bond.
- Nitrogen has five valence electrons, and each fluorine has seven valence electrons. So, Nitrogen has a total of 5 valence electrons, and each fluorine contributes one electron, totaling 3 valence electrons.

Now, distribute the remaining valence electrons around the atoms to satisfy the octet rule:
- Place the remaining two valence electrons on each fluorine atom as lone pairs.
- Nitrogen already has three pairs of electrons around it (one from each fluorine atom), fulfilling its octet.

After following these steps, we observe that Nitrogen has only completed its octet by sharing electrons with the three fluorine atoms, while each fluorine atom has eight valence electrons (including the shared electrons). Hence, NF3 does follow the octet rule.

It's important to note that there are exceptions to the octet rule for certain elements, such as hydrogen, boron, and elements from the third period and beyond on the periodic table. These elements can have expanded octets, meaning they can have more than eight valence electrons around them in certain cases. However, Nitrogen (N) is not one of those elements, so it follows the octet rule in NF3.

Yes.