Chemistry Question!

[twilightz]

I'm a little shaky with Electron Configuration so can someone please explain to me why the answer is:

C.

Which of the following best explains why sulfur can make more bonds than oxygen?

A. Sulfur is more electronegative than oxygen
B. Oxygen is more electronegative than sulfur
C. Sulfur has 3d orbitals not available to oxygen.
D. Sulfur has fewer valence electrons.

A and D are incorrect for sure.
B doesn't answer the question.

But C, I don't understand why C is the answer.

I thought the electron configuration for Sulfur is :[Ne]3s2 3p4

So where did the 3d orbital come from?

Or should I think of it in terms of l <= n -1. If thats the case, then its possible l = 2 = d

Is that how I should think of it?

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[phuang06]

You are correct, sulfur goes up to 3p4, but because sulfur has the 3rd shell of electrons, it means it has empty 3d orbitals, whereas oxygen's electrons only extend to the 2nd shell, and there is no 2d orbital. With elements that have d-orbitals, they can have an expanded octet, breaking the tradition rule of just have 8 electrons or the completion of just an octet.

 

[Farcus]

ok transitional metal of the D orbital start with the 3rd shell although in the perioidic table it looks like they start on the 4th row. I don't why its ordered like that but you just have to remember it. So basically anything from 21-30 are all 3d orbitals. Thus you can have extended octets.

 

[twilightz]

Thank-You