The atomic number of sulfur (S) is 16. Sulfur combines with...

The atomic number of sulfur (S) 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. (Explain your answer.) a. $\mathrm{HS}$ b. $\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{S}$ c. $\mathrm{H}_{4} \mathrm{S}_{2}$ d. $\mathrm{H}_{4} \mathrm{S}$

The atomic number of sulfur (S) 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. (Explain your answer.)
a. $\mathrm{HS}$
b. $\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{S}$
c. $\mathrm{H}_{4} \mathrm{S}_{2}$
d. $\mathrm{H}_{4} \mathrm{S}$

Key Concepts

Covalent Bonding

Covalent bonding involves the sharing of valence electrons between atoms. When atoms bond covalently, they share electrons to achieve full valence shells, typically following the octet rule. This type of bonding is the basis for forming molecules and determining their molecular formulas, as the number of shared electrons directly influences the structure of the resulting compound.

Octet Rule

The octet rule is a chemical guideline that atoms tend to form bonds in such a way that each atom has eight electrons in its valence shell, achieving a stable noble gas configuration. This principle helps in predicting the number and type of bonds an atom can form, which is especially important in understanding the formation of covalent compounds.

Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom, and they play a crucial role in chemical bonding. By knowing the number of valence electrons, one can predict how an atom will interact with others, including the number of bonds it can form, and its tendency to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a more stable electron configuration.

Atomic Number

The atomic number represents the number of protons in an atom's nucleus and, in a neutral atom, equals the number of electrons. This fundamental property is used to determine the element's position in the periodic table, which indirectly provides information about its electron configuration and chemical behavior.

Transcript

00:01 For this question, we need to consider the position of hydrogen and sulfur on the periodic table.

00:07 So hydrogen is our first atom on the periodic table, and it has one electron, because it is one position from the far left -hand side of the periodic table.

00:19 Whereas sulfur is sixth from that very left -hand border of the periodic table, meaning it has six electrons.

00:28 If we remember about the stability of atoms in a molecule, we are looking for the magic number of eight.

00:37 Most elements like to be surrounded by a complete pair of eight electrons, and this means they are stable and content and less willing to react with other elements in the environment.

00:49 So here we have our hydrogen and sulfur, and we can draw those electrons surrounding each of them.

00:57 So our hydrogen has one and our sulfur has six.

01:02 When bonding between different elements, we take one electron from each element we are bonding and we combine them with a line.

01:16 So here we'll take the one electron from hydrogen and one electron from sulfur and create a pair between the two of them.

01:24 So now if we consider the electrons surrounding each element, we can draw, say, a dotted line around each of the electrons surrounding the element plus any electron that is directly bonded to.

01:42 So here we have seven around the sulfur and two around the hydrogen.

01:50 Hydrogen, if you remember, likes to have two electrons surrounding itself...

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