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Chapter 7: Problem 86

Which of the following species has the most unpaired electrons? \(\mathrm{S}^{+}, \mathrm{S},\) or \(\mathrm{S}^{-}\). Explain how you arrive at your answer.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The \(\mathrm{S}^{+}\) ion has the most unpaired electrons.

Step by step solution

01

Electron Configurations

First, look up the atomic number of sulfur on the periodic table. Its atomic number is 16, meaning that a neutral sulfur atom has 16 electrons. The electron configuration for a neutral sulfur atom (\(\mathrm{S}\)) is \(1s^22s^22p^63s^23p^4\). For \(\mathrm{S}^{-}\) (sulfide ion), an extra electron is added, making the electron configuration \(1s^22s^22p^63s^23p^5\). For \(\mathrm{S}^{+}\) (sulfur cation), an electron is removed, making the electron configuration \(1s^22s^22p^63s^23p^3\).
02

Identifying Unpaired Electrons

Next, it's important to note the unpaired electrons. In the neutral sulfur atom (\(\mathrm{S}\)), there are two unpaired electrons in the 3p orbital. In the sulfide ion (\(\mathrm{S}^{-}\)), there are one unpaired electron in the 3p orbital. In the sulfur cation (\(\mathrm{S}^{+}\)), there are three unpaired electrons in the 3p orbital.
03

Determination

Lastly, tally up the number of unpaired electrons for each species. With three unpaired electrons, the \(\mathrm{S}^{+}\) ion has the most unpaired electrons out of the three given possibilities.

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