Find the elements sulfur (S) and oxygen (O) on the periodic table, and then answer the following questions.
Is sulfur a metal or a nonmetal? How many valence electrons does a sulfur atom have?
Answer (1)
Sulfur is a nonmetal.
Sulfur is in Group 16 of the periodic table.
Sulfur has 6 valence electrons.
Therefore, the answer is: Sulfur is a nonmetal with 6 valence electrons.
Explanation
Problem Analysis Let's analyze the problem. We are asked to identify sulfur as a metal or nonmetal and determine the number of valence electrons it has. To do this, we'll use the periodic table.
Identifying Sulfur Sulfur (S) is located in Group 16 (also known as Group 6A) of the periodic table. Elements in Group 16 are considered nonmetals.
Valence Electrons The number of valence electrons for main group elements (like sulfur) is equal to their group number. Since sulfur is in Group 16, it has 6 valence electrons.
Examples
Understanding the properties of elements like sulfur is crucial in various fields. For example, in environmental science, knowing that sulfur is a nonmetal and its electron configuration helps in understanding its role in acid rain formation ( S O 2 and S O 3 are sulfur oxides). In chemistry, sulfur's ability to form two covalent bonds is essential in understanding the structure of many organic and inorganic compounds. In biology, sulfur is a component of some amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Therefore, knowing these basic properties helps in understanding more complex phenomena in different scientific fields.
