How many protons, neutrons, and electrons does an S2 ion have?

To determine the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons in an S^2- ion, we need to start with the basic information about sulfur (S).

1. **Protons:** The atomic number of sulfur is 16, which means a neutral sulfur atom has 16 protons. Therefore, an S^2- ion also has 16 protons.

2. **Electrons:** The S^2- ion indicates that the sulfur atom has gained 2 extra electrons. In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons. So, the S^2- ion has:

• 16 (protons) + 2 (extra electrons) = 18 electrons

3. **Neutrons:** The number of neutrons can be found using the atomic mass of sulfur, which is approximately 32 atomic mass units. To find the neutrons, we can use the formula:

• Neutrons = Atomic Mass – Protons

Calculating this gives us:

• 32 (approximate atomic mass) – 16 (protons) = 16 neutrons

Putting it all together, an S^2- ion has:

• Protons: 16
• Neutrons: 16
• Electrons: 18