Group 16 The 'Oxygen' Family

Group 16 THE 'OXYGEN' FAMILY

The group 16 (VI A) elements are oxygen, sulphur, selenium, tellurium and polonium. The first four elements are collectively called CHALCOGENS or ore forming elements, because many metal ores occur as oxides and sulphides.

•     Oxygen the most abundant element, is an important constituent of atmosphere

and ocean. It constitutes 46.6% earth's crust.

•     Sulphur is less abundant and occurs in free and combined states. Sulphur is

also known as Brim stone.

•     Polonium, a radioactive element that occurs in trace amounts in uranium

ores. Its name from Poland, the home country of Marie Curie who discovered

the element in 1898.

General Trends

Electronic configuration

All of these elements have ns2np4 configuration, just two electrons short of  an octet configuration.

Table  Electronic configuration of Group 16 elements

Oxygen  - 

Atomic Number :  8   Electronic Configuration :  [He] 2s22p4  Group Number : 16  Periodic Number : 2

Sulphur  -

Atomic Number :   16   Electronic Configuration :  [Ne] 3s23p4  Group Number : 16  Periodic Number : 3

Selenium  -

 Atomic Number :  34   Electronic Configuration :  [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p4  Group Number : 16  Periodic Number : 4

Tellurium  - 

Atomic Number :  52   Electronic Configuration :  [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p4  Group Number : 16  Periodic Number : 5

Polonium  - 

Atomic Number :  84    Electronic Configuration :  [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p4  Group Number : 16  Periodic Number : 6