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Chemistry HELP?!

Why in an ammonium ion, why does hydrogen lose the electron and therefore have a dative coordinate bond rather than nitrogen losing an electron and therefore there would be no dative bond?
Also, when drawing dot and cross structures, how do you know which element is in the centre?
Thanks

Reply 1

IsaacMewton

Original post by Laraib Chaudhry

Why in an ammonium ion, why does hydrogen lose the electron and therefore have a dative coordinate bond rather than nitrogen losing an electron and therefore there would be no dative bond?

Probably the first ionisation energy of hydrogen is much less than nitrogen hence its easier for hydrogen to lose electron. However, I am not sure. You should look it up on the web.

Reply 2

IsaacMewton

Original post by Laraib Chaudhry

Also, when drawing dot and cross structures, how do you know which element is in the centre?
Thanks

Usually, the atom that makes the most bond is centralised for example in Ammonia, Nitrogen makes 3 bonds while each hydrogen makes 1 bond thus Nitrogen is centralised