Which, if any, is the ground-state electron configuration for S^2- A) [Ne] or 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶ B) [Ar] or 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶ C) 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁵ D) [Ar] or 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁴ E) None of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

We start by identifying the atomic number of sulfur (S) which is 16. This means that a neutral sulfur atom has 16 electrons. To determine the ground-state electron configuration, we need to fill the electrons in the orbitals according to the Aufbau principle, which states that lower energy levels fill up before higher ones. 
The shorthand notation for electron configuration is to use the noble gas configuration for the previous noble gas before writing the configuration for the element in question. The noble gas before sulfur is argon (Ar), which has an electron configuration of [Ne] 3s2 3p6.

Using this notation and following the Aufbau principle, we can write the ground-state electron configuration of sulfur as: 
[Ne] 3s2 3p4

Now, let's look at each answer choice:
A) This configuration contains more than 16 electrons, so it cannot be correct. 
B) This matches the configuration we derived above.
C) This configuration contains an extra electron in the 2p level, which would make the atom negatively charged.
D) This configuration is missing two electrons, which means that the atom would be positively charged.
E) This answer is incorrect because we have identified the correct answer in choice B.

Which, If Any, Is the Ground-State Electron Configuration for S2-

Which, If Any, Is the Ground-State Electron Configuration for S^2-