How many total valence electrons are there in SO4^2-?

To determine the total number of valence electrons in the sulfate ion (SO₄²^–), we need to consider the contribution from both the sulfur atom and the four oxygen atoms, as well as the additional electrons from the charge.

1. **Valence Electrons of Sulfur**: Sulfur (S) is in group 16 of the periodic table, and it has 6 valence electrons.

2. **Valence Electrons of Oxygen**: Each oxygen (O) atom also belongs to group 16 and contributes 6 valence electrons. Since there are 4 oxygen atoms, this gives us:

• 4 O × 6 = 24 valence electrons from oxygen.

3. **Charge Contribution**: The sulfate ion has a 2- charge, which means it has 2 additional electrons. We add these to our total count.

Now, we can sum it all up:

• 6 (from S) + 24 (from O) + 2 (from the charge) = 32 valence electrons.

Therefore, the total number of valence electrons in SO₄²^– is 32.