Which element tends to form triple bonds?

• A. Oxygen
• B. Nitrogen
• C. Carbon
• D. Hydrogen

Answer: (B)

Triples bonds form when two atoms share three pairs of electrons, which requires the right number of valence electrons and how those electrons can be arranged in orbitals. Nitrogen has five valence electrons, so it can achieve a full octet by sharing three electrons pairs with another nitrogen. In the diatomic nitrogen molecule, that sharing becomes one sigma bond from end-to-end overlap of hybridized orbitals and two pi bonds from sideways overlap of the remaining p orbitals, giving a bond order of three. This triple bond is especially strong and short, which makes N2 a very stable and relatively inert molecule. Oxygen tends to form a double bond because it needs two electrons to complete its octet, hydrogen forms only single bonds since it seeks one more electron, and carbon can form triple bonds in many compounds, but the classic example of widespread triple bonding in a simple elemental context is nitrogen.