Sulfur Electron Configuration

Interactive reference for sulfur's electron configuration (1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁴), orbital box diagram, quantum numbers, and key atomic properties.

Use the Sulfur Electron Configuration

Z = 16 S Sulfur

Sulfur — Electron Configuration

Atomic number 16 · Nonmetal · Period 3, Group 16 · p-block

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁴ [Ne] 3s² 3p⁴ 16 electrons 6 valence e⁻

Subshell Breakdown

Subshell Type Electrons Max Capacity Notation
1s s orbital, shell n=1 2 2 1s²
2s s orbital, shell n=2 2 2 2s²
2p p orbitals, shell n=2 6 6 2p⁶
3s s orbital, shell n=3 2 2 3s²
3p p orbitals, shell n=3 4 6 3p⁴
Total 16

Full Configuration

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁴

All subshells written explicitly.

Noble-Gas Shorthand

[Ne] 3s² 3p⁴

[Ne] = 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ (the filled neon core).

Shell Fill Summary

Shell 1 (n=1) — 1s² 2 / 2 electrons (100%)
Shell 2 (n=2) — 2s² 2p⁶ 8 / 8 electrons (100%)
Shell 3 (n=3) — 3s² 3p⁴ 6 / 18 electrons (33%)

Shell 3 can hold up to 18 electrons (3s + 3p + 3d). Sulfur uses 6 of those 18 slots. Two more electrons would fill 3p and produce the argon configuration.

Summary

Sulfur (S) has atomic number 16 and the ground-state electron configuration 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁴. This tool shows its full orbital box diagram, a subshell breakdown table, noble-gas shorthand ([Ne] 3s² 3p⁴), quantum numbers for all 16 electrons, and key physical and chemical properties. It is a quick reference for students and teachers covering Period 3 chemistry, periodic trends, or Lewis structure work involving sulfur.

How it works

  1. The Aufbau principle fills orbitals from lowest to highest energy.
  2. Sulfur's 16 electrons occupy five subshells: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, and 3p.
  3. The 2p subshell holds 6 electrons across three orbitals, all fully paired.
  4. The 3p subshell holds 4 electrons: one orbital is paired and the other two orbitals each hold a single spin-up electron — Hund's rule dictates singly filling before pairing.
  5. Noble-gas notation replaces the inner filled [Ne] core (1s² 2s² 2p⁶) with brackets: [Ne] 3s² 3p⁴.
  6. Sulfur has 6 valence electrons (3s² 3p⁴), which explains its common −2 and +4/+6 oxidation states.

Use cases

  • Quick reference for chemistry homework or exam review on Period 3 elements.
  • Visualize orbital filling and Hund's rule for the partially filled 3p subshell.
  • Understand why sulfur forms S²⁻ (gains 2 electrons to fill 3p) or S⁶⁺ (loses all valence electrons).
  • Compare sulfur to its Group 16 neighbors oxygen and selenium.
  • Teaching aid for introductory atomic structure, VSEPR, and Lewis structure lessons.
  • Verify quantum numbers for each of sulfur's 16 electrons.
  • Understand how the 3p⁴ configuration drives sulfur's varied bonding in SO₂, SO₃, and H₂S.
  • Support work on oxidation states and electronegativity trends across Period 3.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-09-30 · Reviewed by Nham Vu