Question

Based on its location in the periodic table, what can most likely be predicted about sulfur? a) It has four valence electrons available for bonding. b) It has four nonbonding electrons. c) It has six valence electrons available for bonding. d) It has six nonbonding electrons.

Answer 1

Sulfur is an element and a non-metal found in the periodic table. It belongs to the family where the highest energy levels contain six electrons, Group six. These are called valence electrons where these electrons also are all available for bonding. Thus the answer to this problem is C.

Answer 2

Answer: option c) It has six valence electrons available for bonding..

Explanation:

1) Sulfur, S, is located in the group (column) 16.

2) For the groups 1 to 2, and 13 to 18, the ones digit of the group (column) indicates the number of valence electrons: the elements of group 1 (alkali metals) have one valence electron, the elements of group 2 (alkalyne earth metals) have two valence electrons, the elements of group 13 have 3 valence eletrons, .... so elements in group 16, to which sulfur belongs, have 6 valence electrons.

3) The elements of tha group are O, S, Se, Te, and Po (to not include the most recently discovered elements). So, all of them have 6 valence eletrons.

It is this property (same number of valence electrons) what gives them the chemical similarities, since it is the valence electrons (the electrons in the outermost shell) which take part in most of the chemical reactions.