To determine the total number of outer valence electrons in sulfur dioxide (SO2), we first need to look at the periodic table and identify the number of valence electrons contributed by each atom in the molecule.
Sulfur (S) is located in group 16 of the periodic table, which means it has 6 valence electrons. Oxygen (O), also located in group 16, has 6 valence electrons as well. Since there are two oxygen atoms in sulfur dioxide, we will multiply the number of valence electrons for oxygen by 2.
Now, we can calculate:
- Valence electrons from sulfur: 6
- Valence electrons from two oxygen atoms: 6 x 2 = 12
Adding these together gives us:
Total outer valence electrons = 6 (from S) + 12 (from O) = 18
Therefore, sulfur dioxide (SO2) has a total of 18 outer valence electrons.