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Fair question. The best answer is...there's more stuff in it. Oxygen has 8 Neutrons, 8 protons and 8 electrons.
Sulphur has 16 Neutrons, 16 protons and 8 electrons.
So the nucleus (Neutrons and protons) is bigger in sulphur. Just like a bunch of 32 balloons is bigger than a bunch of 16 balloons.
So that makes sense, but the big difference is in the electron configuration.
Oxygen has 8 electrons. 1s2, 2s2, 2p4.
Sulphur has 16 electrons. 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p4.
Whether that means much to you or not depends on your involvement in chemistry.
But we don't need to understand a lot of it. We can see sulphur's electrons fill up more orbitals than oxygen's because there are more electrons.. they can't all fit in the lower shells so you start expanding outward.
Sulphur uses the 3s and 3p orbital, which Oxygen doesn't have to. So sulphur's outermost electrons are further from the nucleus than oxygen's are.
As a final note, it's worth noticing that both Oxygen and Sulphur end with a p4 configuration...which is why they are chemically quite similar. They are analogues and in that way, comparing their other properties (such as atomic radius, here) is a pretty good thing to do.
What else can I help you with?
How does a sulfur atom become a sulfur ion?
A sulfur atom becomes a sulfur ion by losing or gaining electrons. If a sulfur atom loses electrons, it becomes a positively charged sulfur ion (sulfur cation). If it gains electrons, it becomes a negatively charged sulfur ion (sulfur anion).
How many elements are there in an atom of sulfur?
there are 210 known isotopes in the element of sulfur i found this on sulfur factrs periodic table of the elements
The full electron configuration for sulfur atom?
The full electron configuration for sulfur atom is 1s2.2s2.2p6.3s2.3p4.
What is the compound formula of carbon and sulfur?
The compound formula of carbon and sulfur is CS. It is a molecular compound formed by the combination of one carbon atom and one sulfur atom.
What is the compound name of a sulfur atom and six fluorine atoms share electrons?
The compound you are referring to is sulfur hexafluoride, which has the chemical formula SF6. In this compound, a sulfur atom is bonded to six fluorine atoms through the sharing of electrons, resulting in a stable octet configuration for each atom.
Is a chlorine atom or chlorine ion bigger?
A sulfur atom is larger than an oxygen atom.
Is nitrogen atom is more polar than sulfur atom?
Atoms cannot be described as polar, only molecules.Nitrogen is, however more electronegative than sulfur if that's what you mean.
How big is a sulfur atom?
The radius of a sulfur atom is 106 picometers.
What is the hybridization of the sulfur atom in H2SO3?
The hybridization of the sulfur atom in H2SO3 is sp2.
What is smaller chlorine sulfur silicon or phosphorus?
Chlorine is the smallest of those elements, followed by sulfur, silicon, and phosphorus. The size of an atom is determined by the number of protons and electrons it has, with more protons making the atom smaller.
how many atoms does sulfur have in ZnSO4?
There is only one sulfur atom. The S is sulfur, and there is no number next to it.
How many electron shells does a sulfur atom have?
A sulfur atom has 3 electron shells.
Is an oxygen atom have twice the mass of a sulphur atom?
No, an oxygen atom does not have twice the mass of a sulfur atom. An oxygen atom has a mass of approximately 16 atomic mass units (amu), while a sulfur atom has a mass of approximately 32 amu. Therefore, a sulfur atom has twice the mass of an oxygen atom.
How does a sulfur atom become a sulfur ion?
A sulfur atom becomes a sulfur ion by losing or gaining electrons. If a sulfur atom loses electrons, it becomes a positively charged sulfur ion (sulfur cation). If it gains electrons, it becomes a negatively charged sulfur ion (sulfur anion).
What is one atom of sulfur reacts with one molecule of oxygen to form one molecule of sulfur dioxide?
When one atom of sulfur reacts with one molecule of oxygen, they combine to form one molecule of sulfur dioxide. This reaction involves the sulfur atom bonding with the oxygen atom to create the sulfur dioxide molecule, which has one sulfur atom and two oxygen atoms.
What kind of pollution are airborne solids that range in size from large grains to microscopic?
It is obviously a nitrogen sulfur atom. :)
Central atom hybridization of sulfur trioxide?
The central atom in sulfur trioxide (SO3) is sulfur. Sulfur has 3 oxygen atoms bonded to it, forming a trigonal planar molecular geometry. Each oxygen atom is also attached to the sulfur atom through a double bond. Therefore, the hybridization of the sulfur atom in sulfur trioxide is sp2.
