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Two. The ground state configuration of Sulfur is [Ne] 3s23p4. According to Hund's rule, the p orbitals must fill up separately first. This results in the first 3 electrons going into separate orbitals, and the fourth then doubles up with the first, leaving the other two p orbitals with unpaired electrons.

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15y ago
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13y ago

There are 2 unpaired electrons.

There are 8 electrons in a grounded oxygen atom, filling the 1s and 2s sublevels.

That leaves 4 unpaired electrons which go into the 2p sublevel. Electrons only pair when there are no empty orbitals in a sublevel. There are 3 orbitals in the 2p sublevel so 3 of the 4 electrons go into 3 of the orbitals and the fourth electron pairs itself in one of the orbitals leaving 2 electrons unpaired in the other orbitals.

Here is a pseudo-orbital diagram notation:

[-> <-] [-> <-] [-> <-| -> | ->]

1s 2s 2p

*The arrows represent the ions and their spins.

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14y ago

look at the Periodic Table and draw the spin diagrams

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11y ago

2

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Q: How many unpaired electrons in the atom silicon in ground state?
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