select the correct location on the image. the orbital diagram shows the valence electrons of sulfur, which…

select the correct location on the image. the orbital diagram shows the valence electrons of sulfur, which has 16 electrons. if the electrons were added to the atom one at a time, which would be the last electron to occupy an orbital? 3s 3p reset next

select the correct location on the image. the orbital diagram shows the valence electrons of sulfur, which has 16 electrons. if the electrons were added to the atom one at a time, which would be the last electron to occupy an orbital? 3s 3p reset next

Answer

Explanation:

Step1: Recall electron - filling rules

Electrons fill orbitals according to the Aufbau principle (fill lower - energy orbitals first), Pauli exclusion principle (each orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons with opposite spins), and Hund's rule (electrons fill degenerate orbitals singly first before pairing up). For sulfur with 16 electrons, the electron - configuration is (1s^{2}2s^{2}2p^{6}3s^{2}3p^{4}). The (3s) orbital fills first with 2 electrons (paired), and then the (3p) orbitals start to fill. According to Hund's rule, the first 3 electrons in the (3p) sub - shell occupy different (3p) orbitals with the same spin, and the 4th electron pairs up with one of the previously singly - occupied (3p) orbitals.

Step2: Identify the last - added electron

The last electron added to the sulfur atom is the one that pairs up in the (3p) sub - shell. In the orbital diagram, it is the second electron in one of the (3p) orbitals (the paired electron in the (3p) set).

Answer:

The paired electron in one of the (3p) orbitals.