Multiple Choice
How many valence electrons does a neutral rubidium (Rb) atom have?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
Valence Electrons of Elements
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What is the total number of valence (outer) electrons present in a molecule of sulfur dioxide (SO_2)?
A
18
B
16
C
12
D
20
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the atoms present in the molecule SO_2: one sulfur (S) atom and two oxygen (O) atoms.
Determine the number of valence electrons for each atom using their group number in the periodic table: sulfur (S) is in group 16, so it has 6 valence electrons; oxygen (O) is also in group 16, so each oxygen atom has 6 valence electrons.
Calculate the total valence electrons contributed by all atoms: multiply the number of valence electrons of each atom by the number of those atoms in the molecule. For sulfur: 6 electrons × 1 atom = 6 electrons; for oxygen: 6 electrons × 2 atoms = 12 electrons.
Add the valence electrons from sulfur and oxygen atoms to find the total number of valence electrons in SO_2: 6 (from S) + 12 (from O) = 18 electrons.
This total represents the number of valence electrons available for bonding and lone pairs in the SO_2 molecule.
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