A nonmetal has higher reactivity than sulfur. Which of the following statements about the location of this nonmetal on the periodic table can be true?

Answer is:

The nonmetal is to the right of sulfur in the same row.

The nonmetal is above sulfur in the same column.

1) The nonmetal the right of sulfur is chlorine (Cl).

Chlorine atom has atomic number 17 (17 protons and 17 electrons). It has higher electronegativity than sulfur.

2) The nonmetal above sulfur is oxygen (O). Oxygen is more reactive than sulfur because valence electrons are closer to nucleus and has higher electronegativity.

Electronegativity (χ) is a chemical property that describes the tendency of an atom to attract a shared pair of electrons towards itself.

Atoms with higher electronegativity attracts more electrons towards it, electrons are closer to that atom.