Sulfur Electron Configuration
Sulfur (S) · 16 electrons · Reactive nonmetal
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4
Noble gas notation: [Ne] 3s2 3p4
Orbital diagram
↑↓
1s↑↓
2s↑↓↑↓↑↓
2p↑↓
3s↑↓↑↑
3p- Valence electrons
- 6
- Unpaired electrons
- 2
- Block
- p-block
- Magnetism (atom)
- paramagnetic
Electrons per shell
| K (n = 1) | 2 |
|---|---|
| L (n = 2) | 8 |
| M (n = 3) | 6 |
Sulfur ion configurations
| Ion | Electrons | Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| S2− | 18 | [Ne] 3s2 3p6 |
How to write it
Place 16 electrons into subshells in the Aufbau order (1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d, 7p), filling s with 2, p with 6, d with 10 and f with 14. Sulfur sits in period 3, group 16, in the p-block, so its last electron enters a p subshell. Replacing the inner electrons with the previous noble gas gives the shorthand [Ne] 3s2 3p4.
Try sulfur and its ions in the calculator, or see the full sulfur data sheet.
Sulfur electron configuration FAQ
What is the electron configuration of sulfur?
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁴. Shorthand (noble gas) notation: [Ne] 3s² 3p⁴.
What is the noble gas configuration of sulfur?
[Ne] 3s² 3p⁴. The bracket stands for the Ne core electrons.
How many valence electrons does sulfur have?
6 (outer shell (n = 3)).
How many unpaired electrons does sulfur have?
2 in the ground state, following Hund’s rule. An atom with unpaired electrons is paramagnetic.
What is the electron configuration of S2−?
[Ne] 3s² 3p⁶ (18 electrons).