Question

How do you write the complete and abbreviated ground state electron configurations for sulfur?

Answer 1

Well for sulfur, `Z=16`.......

Explanation:

And so we distribute 16 electrons according to the `"aufbau principle"`:

`1s^(2)2s^(2)2p^(6)3s^(2)3p^(4)`....

Agreed?

To simplify this, and avoid the pfaff of writing out the neon inert gas inner core, we could simply write, `[Ne]3s^(2)3p^(4)`....where `[Ne]=1s^(2)2s^(2)2p^(6)`.

Note that given a Periodic Table (and a Periodic Table will be issued in EVERY exam in chemistry or physics that you ever sit), you should be able to reproduce the electronic configuration of most elements (at least the first 20) and their anions/cations.