How many electron shells are present in a neutral sulfur atom?

• A. 2
• B. 4
• C. 3
• D. 6

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that the number of electron shells in an atom corresponds to the principal quantum number (n) of the highest energy level occupied by electrons in that atom.
2. Determine the atomic number of sulfur, which is 16. This means a neutral sulfur atom has 16 electrons.
3. Distribute these 16 electrons into shells following the order of filling: the first shell (n=1) can hold up to 2 electrons, the second shell (n=2) can hold up to 8 electrons, and the third shell (n=3) can hold up to 18 electrons.
4. Fill the shells in order: 2 electrons in the first shell, 8 electrons in the second shell, and the remaining 6 electrons in the third shell.
5. Since electrons occupy up to the third shell, conclude that a neutral sulfur atom has 3 electron shells.