Question

12 how many unpaired electrons does an atom of sulfur have? * (0.5 points) 1 2 3 4 5 6

Explanation:

Step1: Write sulfur's electron - configuration

Sulfur (S) has atomic number 16. Its electron - configuration is $1s^{2}2s^{2}2p^{6}3s^{2}3p^{4}$.

Step2: Analyze the p - orbital electrons

The 3p sub - shell has three orbitals. According to Hund's rule, electrons first occupy each orbital singly before pairing up. In the 3p sub - shell of sulfur with 4 electrons, 3 electrons occupy the three 3p orbitals singly and the 4th electron pairs up with one of them. So, the number of unpaired electrons is 2.

Answer:

2