3 or 8.3. - helps chemist understanding how elements form chemical bonds. Orbital notation shows the number of electronics. The expanded notation for neon (Ne, Z=10) is written as follows: Connecting Electrons to the Periodic Table, status page at https://status.libretexts.org. The first three (n, l, and ml) may be the same, but the fourth quantum number must be different. As stated, the electron configuration of each element is unique to its position on the periodic table. This is why it is sometimes useful to think about electron configuration in terms of the diagram. The excited-state configuration of an atom is different from the regular configuration of an atom, this occurs, when an electron is excited and jumps into a higher orbital. For more information on how electron configurations and the periodic table are linked, visit the Connecting Electrons to the Periodic Table module. Web Representative d-orbital splitting diagrams for square planar complexes featuring -donor left and -donor right ligands. Grab your microscope and lets explore the differences between these two configurations and discuss why sulfur can have different properties depending on its electron configuration. Answer (1 of 3): Energy levels: 2, 8, 6 Orbitals: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4 If you need to fill in the little boxes, here's one for you. Since 1s can only hold two electrons the next 2 electrons for sulfur go in the 2s orbital. The fourth quantum number, which refers to spin, denotes one of two spin directions. In this notation, the sulfur electron configuration would be written as 4s2 4p4. and explain why each is a key part of the "tool kit" when describing electron configurations. Provide multiple forms There are many forms that can be used to provide multiple forms of content, including sentence fragments, lists . When combined with other elements, it forms a number of different compounds that have a wide range of applications, from gunpowder to rubber vulcanization. Therefore the sulfur electron configuration will be 1s22s22p63s23p4. Valence electrons:-Valence electrons are the simply outermost electron of an atom situated in an outermost shell surrounding an atomic nucleus. So, the number of valence electrons in Sulfur is 6. 5. When assigning electrons in orbitals, each electron will first fill all the orbitals with similar energy (also referred to as degenerate) before pairing with another electron in a half-filled orbital. When representing the configuration of an atom with half filled orbitals, indicate the two half filled orbitals. The orbital notation for sulfur is: Each arrow represents an electron. When writing the electron configuration for an atom, orbitals are filled in order of increasing atomic number. This is done by first determining the subshell (s,p,d, or f) then drawing in each electron according to the stated rules above. You will notice that sulfur has six valence electrons, Four of them in three p, two of them in three s. Sulfur, when it forms an ionic compound, creating its anti on S 2-, will accept two electrons. This means that there are two electrons in the 4s orbital and four electrons in the 4p orbitals. Therefore, n = 3 and, for a p -type orbital, l = 1. C. Gallium. - can be written using the period table or an electron configuration chart. Your email address will not be published. Lower the value of (n + l) for an subshell, the lower its energy, hence, it will be filled first with electrons. (a) The element with electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5; (b)A noble gases with f electrons; (c) a fifth-period element whose atoms have three unpaired p electrons; (d) First row transition metals having one 4s electron. Remember to make logical connections! The p, d, and f orbitals have different sublevels. There are three rules followed for constructing the orbital diagram for an atom. However, because it is the most time consuming method, it is more common to write or see electron configurations in spdf notation and noble gas notation. The three p orbitals are degenerate, so any of these ml values is correct. This gives sulfur some interesting qualities which impact the environment. (the "Gold Book"). In addition, when determining the number of unpaired electrons in an atom, this method allows quick visualization of the configurations of the valance electrons. The s-block is the region of the alkali metals including helium (Groups 1 & 2), the d-block are the transition metals (Groups 3 to 12), the p-block are the main group elements from Groups 13 to 18, and the f-block are the lanthanides and actinides series. Pauli Exclusion Principle:-This rule state that, no two electrons can occupy the same orbital with the same spin. Also check How to draw Bohr model of Sulfur atom. The energy level is determined by the period and the number of electrons is given by the atomic number of the element. When sulfur has six valence electrons, it has the electron configuration [Ne]3s23p4. The 1s orbital and 2s orbital both have the characteristics of an s orbital (radial nodes, spherical volume probabilities, can only hold two electrons, etc.) This is the electron configuration of helium; it denotes a full s orbital. This is because sulfur produces a highly reactive form of oxygen when it burns, which can help to accelerate the combustion process. The fact that sulfur can form so many different compounds is a testament to its versatility as an element. The Sulfur orbital diagram comprises five orbitals. View the full answer. This tells us that each subshell has double the electrons per orbital. Therefore, the next two electrons enter the 2s orbital. The Pauli exclusion principle states that no two electrons can have the same four quantum numbers. . That means One must be spin up () and one must be spin down (). The energy level is determined by the period and the number of electrons is given by the atomic number of the element. The first two electrons will go in the 1s orbital, the next two in the 2s orbital, the next six in the 2p orbital, the next two electrons in the 3s orbital, and the remaining four electrons in the 3p orbital. The next two electrons will go into the 3s orbital, and after that, the remaining four electrons will go into the 3p orbital. The periodic table is used as a reference to accurately write the electron configurations of all atoms. (1). However, for transition metals, the process of finding valence electrons is complicated. The total number of electrons is the atomic number, Z. but, as they are found in different energy levels, they occupy different spaces around the nucleus. In this article, we will look at some facts about the electronic configuration of Sulfur including learning how to write the electronic configuration of Sulfur with correct notation and . (2). Atoms at ground states tend to have as many unpaired electrons as possible. The p, d, and f orbitals have different sublevels, thus can hold more electrons. It looks something like this. This means that there are two electrons in the 1s orbital, two electrons in the 2s orbital, six electrons in the 2p orbital, two electrons in the 3s orbital, and four electrons in the 3p orbital. Thus, the electron configuration and orbital diagram of lithium are: When writing electron configurations, orbitals are built up from atom to atom. D orbital contains 5 boxes that can hold a maximum of 10 electrons. -shows the arrangment of electrons around the nucleus of an atom. Configuration irregularities: deviations from the madelung rule and inversion of orbital energy levels. What is the orbital notation for sulfur Sulfur Electron configuration: Sulfur or sulfur is a chemical element. Atom's electron configuration is a epresentation of the arrangement of an atom's electro . The first three (n, l, and ml) may be the same, but the fourth quantum number must be different. This is because Hund's Rule states that the three electrons in the 2p subshell will fill all the empty orbitals first before filling orbitals with electrons in them. Vishal Goyal is the founder of Topblogtenz, a comprehensive resource for students seeking guidance and support in their chemistry studies. How many electrons are in p orbital? 2.4 Electron Configurations is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts. Orbital at different energy levels are similar to each other, but they occupy different areas in space. Before assigning the electrons of an atom into orbitals, one must become familiar with the basic concepts of electron configurations. If we look at the correct electron configuration of the Nitrogen (Z = 7) atom, a very important element in the biology of plants: 1s2 2s2 2p3. Sulfur Bohr Model - How to draw Bohr diagram for Sulfur (S), Lithium Orbital diagram, Electron configuration, and Valence, Beryllium Orbital diagram, Electron configuration, and, Calcium Orbital diagram, Electron configuration, and Valence, Potassium Orbital diagram, Electron configuration, and, Argon Orbital diagram, Electron configuration, and Valence, Chlorine Orbital diagram, Electron configuration, and, Phosphorus Orbital diagram, Electron configuration, and, Silicon Orbital diagram, Electron configuration, and Valence, Aluminum Orbital diagram, Electron configuration, and. Although the distributions of electrons in each orbital are not as apparent as in the diagram, the total number of electrons in each energy level is described by a superscript that follows the relating energy level. Hunds rule:-This rule state that each orbital of a given subshell should be filled with one electron each before pairing them. Atoms at ground states tend to have as many unpaired electrons as possible. It states that the orbital with the lowest energy level will be filled first before those with high energy levels. Sulfur has an atomic number of 16 belongs to Group 16 also known as the Chalcogens family. Lets see. Basic Concepts of Chemistry Fifth Edition. 1) Look at the periodic table to see how many electrons sulfur has In this case, sulfur has 16 electrons that need to be placed into orbitals Image source: Caroline Monahan 2) Looking at our cheat sheet, draw the orbitals one at a time, adding electrons as you go, until you reach a total of 16 electrons Image source: Caroline Monahan Report Share 5 Its electron configuration is 2, 8, 6, which means that it has two electrons in its outermost orbital. This is important when describing an electron configuration in terms of the orbital diagrams. This means that the sulfur atom has two electrons in the 3s orbital and four electrons in the 3p orbitals. It has an orthorhombic crystal structure. The orbital diagram of Sulfur contains 1s orbital, 2s orbital, 2p orbital, 3s orbital, and 3p orbital. The remaining electron must occupy the orbital of next lowest energy, the 2 s orbital (Figure 8.3. The shorthand electron configuration for the Sulfur atom is [Ne] 3s23p4. 1s2 + 2s2 + 2p6 + 3s2 + 3p4 = sulfur's orbital notation What is hydrogen's orbital notation? Your email address will not be published. SN = 2 + 2 = 4, and hybridization is sp. Legal. Both these ways are super easy. Write the electron configuration for aluminum and iridium. (2002). As we already know from our studies of quantum numbers and electron orbitals, we can conclude that these four quantum numbers refer to the 1s subshell. It is situated in the P-block of the periodic table. b) 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d7, d) 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 4f14 5d10 6p4. A p orbital can hold 6 electrons. There is a simple difference between Ground state and Excited-state configuration. Only two electrons can correspond to these, which would be either ms = -1/2 or ms = +1/2. The LibreTexts libraries arePowered by NICE CXone Expertand are supported by the Department of Education Open Textbook Pilot Project, the UC Davis Office of the Provost, the UC Davis Library, the California State University Affordable Learning Solutions Program, and Merlot.
The p orbitals are. A slightly more complicated example is the electron configuration of bismuth (symbolized Bi, with Z = 83). They can participate in the formation of chemical bonds. Sulfur has a variety of applications due to its electron configuration. This process helps to increase the strength and durability of rubber by creating cross-links between the polymer chains. The reactivity of sulfur is due to its willingness to form multiple bonds; by forming bonds with other atoms, sulfur can stabilize itself and achieve a more thermodynamically stable configuration. { "2.1_Atomic_Theory" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.
b__1]()", "2.2_Subatomic_Particles" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "2.3_Quantum_Numbers" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "2.4_Electron_Configurations" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()" }, { "Chapter_1:_Matter_and_Measurement" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "Chapter_2:_Atomic_Structure" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "Chapter_3:_Chemical_Bonding" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "Chapter_4:_Mass_Relationships_in_Chemical_Reactions" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "Chapter_5:_Reactions_in_Aqueous_Solution" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "Chapter_6:_Redox_Chemistry" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()", "Chapter_7:_States_of_Matter" : "property get [Map MindTouch.Deki.Logic.ExtensionProcessorQueryProvider+<>c__DisplayClass228_0.b__1]()" }, [ "article:topic", "showtoc:no", "license:ccbyncsa", "licenseversion:40" ], https://chem.libretexts.org/@app/auth/3/login?returnto=https%3A%2F%2Fchem.libretexts.org%2FCourses%2FValley_City_State_University%2FChem_115%2FChapter_2%253A_Atomic_Structure%2F2.4_Electron_Configurations, \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}}}\) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\), Another method (but less commonly used) of writing the, notation is the expanded notation format. Orbital notation is a drawing of the electron configuration. This is because sulfur dioxide is a potent antimicrobial agent that can help to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi. The periodic table is an incredibly helpful tool in writing electron configurations. What is the orbital notation of sulfur? This is the same concept as before, except that each individual orbital is represented with a subscript. This means that the sulfur atom has two electrons in the first energy level, two electrons in the second energy level, six electrons in the third energy level, and four electrons in the fourth energy level. Hence the sulfur atom uses five hybridized orbitals, one 3s orbital, three 3p orbitals, and one 3d orbital. This process of rearrangement releases energy in the form of heat and light, making sulfur an excellent fuel for combustion. The first shell of Sulfur has 2 electrons and the outer shell or valence shell of Sulfur has 6 electrons, hence, the number of valence electrons in the Sulfur atom is 6. Published By Vishal Goyal | Last updated: December 29, 2022, Home > Chemistry > Sulfur Orbital diagram, Electron Configuration, and Valence electrons. The s-orbital can have a maximum of two electrons. The " DI " means two sulfur atoms. When assigning electrons in orbitals, each electron will first fill all the orbitals with similar energy (also referred to as degenerate) before pairing with another electron in a half-filled orbital. The ground-state electron configuration of the Sulfur (S) atom is, The shorthand electron configuration for Sulfur is [Ne] 3s, The electron configuration for the Sulfide ion (S. The number of valence electrons available for the Sulfur atom is 6. Electron configurations have the format: 1s 2 2s 2 2p 6 . Following the pattern across a period from B (Z=5) to Ne (Z=10), the number of electrons increases and the subshells are filled. That means Each orbital gets one electron first, before adding the second electron to the orbital. All rights reserved. Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. What is the electronic configuration of vanadium (V, Z=23)? The electron configuration of Sulfur can be found using the Aufbau principle. They have more energy, hence, they are part of most chemical reactions. S orbital contains 1 box that can hold a maximum of 2 electrons. Aufbaus principle:-This rule state that the lower energy orbital will be filled before the higher energy orbital, for example the 1s orbital will fill before the 2s orbital. Hence, 2 electrons will go in the first shell(K), 8 electrons will go in the second shell(L), and the remaining six electrons will go in the third shell(M). Visually, this is be represented as: As shown, the 1s subshell can hold only two electrons and, when filled, the electrons have opposite spins. Write the electron configuration and draw the orbital notation for atoms of oxygen and sulfur. Each orbital can be represented by specific blocks on the periodic table. One way to remember this pattern, probably the easiest, is to refer to the periodic table and remember where each orbital block falls to logically deduce this pattern. (2004). We can find valence electrons of an atom either by knowing its periodic group number or its electron configuration. These regions have very specific shapes, based on the energy of the electrons that will be occupying them. This has a cooling effect on the planet and can help offset some of the warming caused by greenhouse gases. The sulfur electron configuration is also important for predicting chemical reactions involving sulfur atoms. Sulfur is a non-metal that is found in various compounds in the environment. Each arrow represents one electron. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. After that, the next two electrons will go into the 3s orbital, and the remaining four electrons will enter the 3p orbital, since, the 3p orbital has 3 boxes, so, these electrons will be filled using Hunds rule. The 1 orbital and 2 orbital have the characteristics of s orbital (radial nodes, spherical . 1s2 + 2s2 + 2p6 + 3s2 + 3p4 = sulfur's orbital notation What three methods are used to represent the arrangements of electrons in atoms? Vanadium is the transition metal in the fourth period and the fifth group. orbital energy level diagrams and write the corresponding electron configurations for: Sulfur Is Sulfur 1s22s22p63s23p4 STOP Silicon 3s mmo Is Silicon 1s22s22p63s23p 2 Neon 2s Is Neon 1s22s22p6 Extension Questions Model 3 Orbital Diagram for an Atom of Element X 3s Is 16. We know that the noble gas has all of its orbitals filled; thus it can be used as a "shorthand" or abbreviated method for writing all of the electron configurations after 1s. The configuration notation provides an easy way for scientists to write and communicate how electrons are arranged around the nucleus of an atom. The p, d, and f orbitals have different sublevels, thus can hold more electrons. However, these bonds are not very stable, and when sulfur is exposed to heat or friction, the bonds break and the atoms rearrange themselves into more thermodynamically stable configurations. To find the answer we refer to part a) and look at the valence electrons. c) Why is it possible to abbreviate electron configurations with a noble gas in the noble gas notation? We see that iodine has 5 electrons in the p orbitals. In addition, sulfuric acid is one of the most important industrial chemicals, used in the production of paper, steel, plastics, and many other products. Sulfur has a number of important uses for humanity. F orbital contains 7 boxes that can hold a maximum of 14 electrons. Sulfur tetrafluoride has 5 regions of electron density around the central sulfur atom (4 bonds and one lone pair). For two different subshells having same (n + l) value, then the subshell with lower value of n has lower energy. The loveseats can be different "styles . Write the electron configuration for phosphorus and draw the orbital diagram. Write the electronic configuration of Yttrium. We aim to make complex subjects, like chemistry, approachable and enjoyable for everyone. Sulfur is a unique element because it has two different electron configurations, depending on the number of valence electrons. The Pauli exclusion principle states that no two electrons can have the same four quantum numbers. Sarah Faizi (University of California Davis). Therefore, we have a diagonal rule for electron filling order in the different subshells using the Aufbau principle. Two hydrogen (H) atoms can also bond with two sulfur (S) atoms, making the formula H2S2. This is the same concept as before, except that each individual orbital is represented with a subscript. How many unpaired electrons does iodine have? Electron Configuration Notation:
Without using a periodic table or any other references, fill in the correct box in the periodic table with the letter of each question. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997). Another way is to make a table like the one below and use vertical lines to determine which subshells correspond with each other. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992. Its oxidation state varies from -2 to +6. Orbitals are occupied in a specific order, thus we have to follow this order when assigning electrons. In total it has thirty-nine electrons. Is there anything special about this configuration? Therefore, the electrons in an atom fill the principal energy levels in order of increasing energy (the electrons are getting farther from the nucleus). Find the electron configurations of the following: 2. Most students who first learn electron configurations often have trouble with configurations that must pass through the f-block because they often overlook this break in the table and skip that energy level. Also another way of thinking about it is that as you move from each orbital block, the subshells become filled as you complete each section of the orbital in the period. It has an atomic number of 16 and is in group 6 of the periodic table. Therefore, the electrons per shell for Sulfur are 2, 8, 6, hence, we can say, based on the shell, the electronic configuration of the Sulfur atom is [2, 8, 6]. We know the electron configuration of Sulfur is 1s22s22p63s23p4, now for drawing its orbital diagram, we need to show its electrons in form of an arrow in different boxes using Hunds and Paulis exclusion rule. Its important to remember that when passing the 5d and 6d energy levels that one must pass through the f-block lanthanoid and actinoid series. Instead of 23 electrons to distribute in orbitals, there are 5. The first ten electrons of the sodium atom are the inner-shell electrons and the configuration of just those ten electrons is exactly the same as the configuration of the element neon \(\left( Z=10 \right)\). Sulfur Electron configuration using the Aufbau Principle, Electron configuration Vs Orbital diagram for Sulfur, Electron configuration for Sulfur via Bohr model (Orbit), Finding Sulfur Valence electrons through the Group number, Finding Sulfur Valence electrons through the Electron configuration or Bohr model, Electron configuration, Valence electrons, and Orbital diagram of Sulfur in tabular form. Sulfur has the symbol S and It is the tenth most abundant element by mass in the universe and the fifth most on Earth. As a result, sulfur plays an important role in a variety of industries and applications. The main difference between the orbital diagram and electron configuration is an orbital diagram shows electrons in form of arrows whereas an electron configuration shows electrons in form of numbers. We can clearly see that p orbitals are half-filled as there are three electrons and three p orbitals. (Each box gets one electron first, then start pairing). Sulfur is situated in Group 16th or 6A and has an atomic number of 16. So, in short, the s subshell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons(1 orbital), the p subshell can hold 6 electrons(3 orbitals), the d subshell can hold 10 electrons(5 orbitals), and the f subshell can hold at most 14 electrons(7 orbitals). The team at Topblogtenz includes experts like experienced researchers, professors, and educators, with the goal of making complex subjects like chemistry accessible and understandable for all. For example, atoms with similar configurations are more likely to form stable bonds with each other. However many is missing that's how many electrons it wants to gain to be complete. Each box will hold a maximum of 2 electrons with opposite spin. Phosphorus pentachloride (PCl 5), sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6), chlorine trifluoride (ClF 3), the chlorite (ClO 2) ion, and the triiodide (I 3) ion are . We can clearly see that p orbitals are half-filled as there are three electrons and three p orbitals. In the example above, there are a full s orbital and three half filled d orbitals. For more information on how electron configurations and the periodic table are linked, visit the Connecting Electrons to the Periodic Table module. So, the remaining electrons will enter the third orbit. The ground state configuration of an atom is the same as its regular electron configuration in which electrons remain in the lowest possible energy. An orbital diagram for a ground-state electron configuration of a Sulfur atom is shown below-. Transcribed image text: contain an octet of electrons? Using the Hund's rule and Pauli exclusion principals we can make a diagram like the following: a) In your own words describe how to write an electron configuration and why it is an important skill in the study of chemistry. Im curious about the electron configuration and valence electrons. A single orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons, which must have opposing spins; otherwise they would have the same four quantum numbers, which is forbidden. Web An orbital diagram is similar to electron configuration except that instead of indicating the atoms by total numbers each orbital is shown with up and down arrows to. Required fields are marked *. b) How many unpaired electrons does iodine have? 1. When writing the electron configuration for an atom, orbitals are filled in order of increasing atomic number. The electron configuration of Sulfur in terms of the shell or orbit is [2, 8, 6]. valence electron in sulfur. Ostrovsky, V.N. It used different electron shells such as K, L, M, Nso on. One electron is spin up (ms = +1/2) and the other would spin down (ms = -1/2). Electrons fill orbitals in a way to minimize the energy of the atom. In this case, 2+2+6+2+6+2+10+6+2+1= 39 and Z=39, so the answer is correct. Now there is enough information to write the electron configuration: This method streamlines the process of distributing electrons by showing the valence electrons, which determine the chemical properties of atoms. Now, for determining the valence electron for the Sulfur atom, look at the periodic table and find its Group number. We also acknowledge previous National Science Foundation support under grant numbers 1246120, 1525057, and 1413739. What is the sulfur electron configuration? but, as they are found in different energy levels, they occupy different spaces around the nucleus.