A neutral atom of sulfur has a total of 16 electrons. These electrons are distributed across three primary quantum levels (or shells) as follows:
- n=1 shell: This shell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons. In sulfur, the 1st shell is fully occupied with 2 electrons.
- n=2 shell: The second shell can hold up to 8 electrons. In sulfur, this shell contains 8 electrons, which fill it completely.
- n=3 shell (valence shell): This is the outermost shell and can also hold a maximum of 8 electrons. In sulfur, there are 6 electrons in the 3rd shell, making it the valence shell.
To summarize:
- Total electrons: 16
- n=1 shell: 2 electrons
- n=2 shell: 8 electrons
- Valence shell (n=3): 6 electrons
- Core electrons: The core electrons can be considered as the electrons in the inner shells (n=1 and n=2), which total 10 electrons.
This configuration explains the chemical properties of sulfur and why it tends to form specific types of bonds.