Calculate the number of valence electrons in Sulfur using its electron configuration step by step.
Determine the number of valence electrons in Sulfur (S, Element 16)
The abbreviated (condensed) ground electronic configuration for Sulfur is:
[Ne] 3s2 3p4
Calculate Electronic Configuration for Sulfur
Electrons in atomic orbitals outside the [Ne] core are the outermost electrons:
3s2 3p4
Extract the principle quantum number, n, and number of electrons from the electron configuration:
Electron Configuration | n | Orbital | Number of Electrons |
---|---|---|---|
3s2 | 3 | s | 2 |
3p4 | 3 | p | 4 |
The outermost electrons with the largest principal quantum number (in this case, n = 3) are valence electrons.
Sulfur (S) has 6 (2 + 4) valence electrons.