Element 16 · Sulfur (S)
Sulfur Bohr model: diagram and electrons per shell
The sulfur Bohr model shows a sulfur atom (S) as a small nucleus with its electrons circling it in 3 shells: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L and 6 in shell M. This page has a rotating 3D sulfur Bohr model, a flat diagram, a table of the electrons in each shell and the steps to draw it yourself.
Rotate the sulfur Bohr model in 3D
Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom.
This is a Bohr model of sulfur (S), a simplified picture of a single sulfur atom. Its nucleus holds 16 protons, and a neutral sulfur atom has 16 electrons, arranged around it in 3 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L and 6 in shell M).
Sulfur Bohr model diagram
Sulfur electrons per shell
A neutral sulfur atom has 16 electrons, one for each of its 16 protons. They fill the shells from the nucleus outwards: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L and 6 in shell M.
| Shell | Shell number (n) | Electrons | Most it can hold (2n²) | Subshells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1s2 |
| L | 2 | 8 | 8 | 2s2 2p6 |
| M | 3 | 6 | 18 | 3s2 3p4 |
How the sulfur Bohr model builds up, shell by shell
Watch the sulfur Bohr model come together: the nucleus first, then each shell in turn, from the innermost outwards, with its electrons joining the ring. The legend names every shell and counts its electrons, so you can read off the arrangement (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L and 6 in shell M) as it forms.
How to draw the sulfur Bohr model
- Find the atomic number. Sulfur has atomic number 16, so a neutral atom has 16 protons and 16 electrons.
- Draw the nucleus. Put a circle in the centre and write S in it. The 16 protons sit there with the neutrons.
- Draw the shells. Sketch 3 shells as rings around the nucleus. A shell holds at most 2n² electrons: 2 in the first, 8 in the second, 18 in the third and 32 in the fourth.
- Place the electrons. Fill from the inside out: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L and 6 in shell M.
- Check the total. 2 + 8 + 6 = 16, the atomic number, so every electron is accounted for.
Atomic data for the sulfur Bohr model
The numbers behind the sulfur Bohr model, grouped by topic. Radii are in picometres (pm) and energies in kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).
Identity
- Symbol
- S
- Atomic number
- 16
- Atomic mass
- 32.06 u
- Family
- Reactive Nonmetals
- Position
- group 16, period 3
- Block
- p-block
Electron configuration
- Full
- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4
- Shorthand
- [Ne] 3s2 3p4
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 6
- Outer-shell electrons
- 6 in shell M
Ionisation energies
- I₁
- 999.6
- I₂
- 2252
- I₃
- 3357
- I₄
- 4556
- I₅
- 7004.3
- I₆
- 8495.8
- I₇
- 27107
- I₈
- 31719
Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). A sharp jump means the next electron comes from an inner shell.
Atomic radii
- Calculated (pm)
- 88
- Empirical (pm)
- 100
- Covalent (pm)
- 103
- Van der Waals (pm)
- 180
Electronegativity and electron affinity
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 2.58
- Electron affinity (kJ/mol)
- 200.41
Oxidation states
−2 +2 +4 +6
Charges the element commonly takes in compounds.
Physical properties, abundance and history of sulfur
Bulk properties of sulfur, how common it is, who discovered it and some of its compounds.
Physical properties
- Phase at room conditions
- Solid
- Appearance
- Lemon yellow sintered microcrystals
- Melting point
- 115.21°C (388.36 K)
- Boiling point
- 444.65°C (717.8 K)
- Density
- 2.07 g/cm³
- Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)
- 0.27
- Specific heat (J/g·K)
- 0.708
- Molar heat capacity (J/mol·K)
- 22.75
- Heat of fusion (kJ/mol)
- 1.23
- Heat of vaporisation (kJ/mol)
- 10.5
Abundance
- Earth's crust (mg/kg)
- 350
- Oceans (mg/L)
- 905
Discovery
- Discovered by
- Ancient china
- Year
- Ancient
Common compounds
- Saccharin C7H5NO3S
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate C12H25NaO4S
- Thiabendazole C10H7N3S
- Parathion C10H14NO5PS
- Sulfuric Acid H2O4S
- L-(+)-Cysteine C3H7NO2S
- Allyl Isothiocyanate C4H5NS
- Methyl isothiocyanate C2H3NS
Compounds listed in the PubChem database.
Main isotopes of sulfur
Isotopes of sulfur share the same 16 protons but differ in neutrons. Natural isotopes come first, then the longest-lived others.
| Mass number | Natural abundance | Half-life | Decay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | 94.85 % | stable | – |
| 33 | 0.763 % | stable | – |
| 34 | 4.365 % | stable | – |
| 35 | – | 87.37 d | β⁻ |
| 36 | 0.016 % | stable | – |
| 38 | – | 170.3 min | β⁻ |
α = alpha decay, β⁻ = beta-minus, β⁺ = beta-plus, EC = electron capture, SF = spontaneous fission, p / n = proton / neutron emission.
More about sulfur
- Sulfur on the periodic table – properties, isotopes, uses and the full sulfur page.
- Reactive Nonmetals – all reactive nonmetal elements and their trends.
- Bohr model of every element – the Bohr model of all 118 elements.