The atomic number of sulfur is 16. Sulfur combines with hydrogen by covalent bonding to form a compound, hydrogen sulfide. Based on the number of valence electrons in a sulfur atom, predict the molecular formula of the compound.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sulfur has 6 valence electrons, and hydrogen has 1 valence electron. In order to form a covalent bond, each atom needs to share an electron with the other atom. Sulfur will share two electrons with each hydrogen atom, giving sulfur and hydrogen each a full outer shell. This results in the formula H2S, with two hydrogen atoms and one sulfur atom. None of the other choices fit the required formula for sharing electrons between sulfur and hydrogen.

The Atomic Number of Sulfur Is 16