QQuestionChemistry
QuestionChemistry
Sulfur has an atomic number of 16. How many covalent bonds can sulfur form?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
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Answer
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Step 1:Let's solve this step by step:
Step 2:: Determine Sulfur's Electron Configuration
- The electron configuration of sulfur is $$1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{6} 3s^{2} 3p^{4}
- Sulfur's atomic number is 16, which means it has 16 electrons
Step 3:: Analyze Valence Electrons
- Total valence electrons = $$2 + 4 = 6$$ electrons
- Valence electrons are found in the outermost shell (3s and 3p orbitals) - Sulfur has 2 electrons in 3s and 4 electrons in 3p
Step 4:: Determine Bonding Capacity
- To form covalent bonds, sulfur needs to share electrons - Sulfur can share up to 4 electrons to achieve a stable octet configuration - This means sulfur can form up to 4 covalent bonds
Step 5:: Verify the Number of Bonds
- With 6 valence electrons, sulfur can form $$6 \div 2 = 3$$ covalent bonds
- Each covalent bond requires 2 electrons (one from sulfur, one from another atom)
Final Answer
C. 3 covalent bonds
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