Which of the following represents the valence electron configuration for a sulfur (S) atom?

• A. 2s^2 2p^6
• B. 3s^2 3p^4
• C. 4s^2 4p^4
• D. 3s^2 3p^6

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the atomic number of sulfur (S), which is 16. This means sulfur has 16 electrons in total.
2. Recall that electrons fill atomic orbitals in order of increasing energy levels, following the Aufbau principle: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, and so on.
3. Write the full electron configuration for sulfur: 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4. The valence electrons are those in the outermost shell, which is the third shell for sulfur.
4. Extract the valence electron configuration by focusing on the electrons in the 3rd shell: 3s^2 3p^4.
5. Compare the given options to the valence electron configuration 3s^2 3p^4 to identify the correct answer.