Nitrogen Family (Group 15) — Periodic Table Mnemonic
Target: mnemonic for nitrogen family group 15 pnictogens
Why is this hard to memorize?
Group 15 elements — Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Arsenic, Antimony, and Bismuth — are called the pnictogens. They feature heavily in NEET and JEE because of Nitrogen's unique triple bond in N₂, Phosphorus's allotropy and PCl₅ structure, and the gradual shift from non-metallic to metallic character down the group. Bismuth is the heaviest stable element in this group and shows the inert pair effect strongly. Questions on anomalous properties of Nitrogen, structures of oxoacids of Phosphorus, and the basicity trend of hydrides (NH₃ > PH₃ > AsH₃) are exam staples.
Classic mnemonics you should know
"Nahi Pasand Aise Sabjee Biryani"
N(Nahi) → Nitrogen, P(Pasand) → Phosphorus, As(Aise) → Arsenic, Sb(Sabjee) → Antimony, Bi(Biryani) → Bismuth. A foodie complaint that sticks!
"New Players Always Surprise Badly"
N(New) → Nitrogen, P(Players) → Phosphorus, As(Always) → Arsenic, Sb(Surprise) → Antimony, Bi(Badly) → Bismuth.
"N P As Sb Bi — "Nap As SB""
Read the symbols phonetically: N-P(Nap), As(As), Sb-Bi(SB = somebody). "Nap as somebody" — imagine sleeping as someone else.
The complete list
- Nitrogen (N)
- Phosphorus (P)
- Arsenic (As)
- Antimony (Sb)
- Bismuth (Bi)
Frequently asked questions
What is the best mnemonic for Group 15 elements?
"Nahi Pasand Aise Sabjee Biryani" is the most popular in Indian coaching centres. N → Nitrogen, P → Phosphorus, As → Arsenic, Sb → Antimony, Bi → Bismuth.
Why is Nitrogen so different from other Group 15 elements?
Nitrogen has no d-orbitals available for bonding (unlike P which can expand its octet), forms a very strong N≡N triple bond, and has a small size that causes high electronegativity. It cannot form dπ–dπ bonds and its maximum covalence is 4, whereas Phosphorus can reach 5 or 6.
What is the basicity order of Group 15 hydrides for NEET?
NH₃ > PH₃ > AsH₃ > SbH₃ > BiH₃. Basicity decreases down the group because the lone pair gets farther from the nucleus and becomes less available for donation. Thermal stability also decreases in the same order.
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