Re: How are the protons, neutrons, electrons placed on a nitrogen atom model

Boy, this is a sticky question. The problem is that we know how
many protons, neutrons and electrons you need (seven of each for nitrogen-14),
and everything goes in the nucleus except the electrons -- but how to arrange 
the electrons really depends on what model of the atom your son is using.

This question is a HUGE can of worms in relation to what is real and what is
an artifact of your model; you might check your son's science text to see
how it depicts atoms. Here are two possibilities:

1. The shell model: two electrons in the inner shell, five in the outer shell.
2. The orbital model: two electrons in the inner s-orbital, two in the
outer s-orbital, one each in the three p-orbitals.

The real situation is only describable with rather complicated differential 
equations, and then only approximately!

Good luck. 
                                                   Dan Berger