Multiple Choice
How many valence electrons does a sulfur atom have?
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9. Electrons in Atoms and the Periodic Table
Valence Electrons of Elements (Simplified)
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How many valence electrons does an atom of sulfur (S) have?
A
2
B
8
C
12
D
6
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the element sulfur (S) on the periodic table. Sulfur has an atomic number of 16, which means it has 16 electrons in total.
Determine the electron configuration of sulfur to understand how these electrons are arranged in energy levels. The electron configuration is written as: \$1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4$.
Recognize that valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost energy level (highest principal quantum number). For sulfur, the outermost shell is the third shell (n=3).
Count the electrons in the outermost shell: the 3s subshell has 2 electrons and the 3p subshell has 4 electrons, so total valence electrons = \$2 + 4$.
Conclude that sulfur has 6 valence electrons because these are the electrons available for bonding and chemical reactions.
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