Trends in Group 16 Elements
- Electronic Configuration of Group 16 Elements- Group 16 elements have six electrons in their valence shell and have the basic electrical structure ns2np4.
|
Elements |
Atomic Number |
Electronic Configuration |
Group Number |
Period Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Oxygen |
8 |
[He] 2s2 2p4 |
16 |
2 |
|
Sulphur |
16 |
[Ne] 3s2 3p4 |
16 |
3 |
|
Selenium |
34 |
[Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p4 |
16 |
4 |
|
Tellurium |
52 |
[Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p4 |
16 |
5 |
|
Polonium |
84 |
[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p4 |
16 |
6 |
- Atomic and Ionic Radii of Group 16 Elements: The atomic and ionic radii of the elements in this group are less than those of the elements in Group 15 because of increased nucleic charge. The atomic and ionic radii of the elements grow as one progresses down the group due to the addition of a new valence shell.
- Group 16 Elements Ionisation Enthalpy: The ionisation enthalpy of the elements in this group is lower than that of the elements in group 15. The ionisation enthalpies of the elements decrease as one proceeds down the group. The second ionisation enthalpies of members of group 16 are greater than those of members of group 15. This is because the second electron must be taken from a more symmetrical half-filled state, which is more stable after the first electron is removed.
- Electron Gain Enthalpy of Group 16 Elements: As the atomic size grows down the group, the electron gain enthalpy falls. Oxygen’s electron gain enthalpy is less negative than sulphur’s. Oxygen has a higher repulsion between the electrons already present and the incoming electron due to its compact structure. Because of these electron-electron repulsions, the oxygen atom is less likely than the sulphur atom to receive the additional electron.
- Melting and Boiling Points of Group 16 Elements: From oxygen to tellurium, the melting and boiling points increase as the atomic size decreases. The large disparity in melting and boiling temperatures between oxygen and sulphur might be due to the fact that oxygen is a diatomic molecule whereas sulphur is a polyatomic molecule.
- Group 16 Elements Electronegativity: The electronegativity values of group 16 elements are greater than those of group 15. Oxygen is the second most electronegative element, behind fluorine. The electronegativity diminishes as one progresses along with the group. The electronegativity of elements decreases as their atomic radii rise.
- Metallic Character of Group 16 Elements: The group becomes more metallic as we move down the group. Non-Metals oxygen and sulphur are the first two elements. Metalloids such as selenium and tellurium, as well as polonium, are metals.
- Catenation of Group 16 Elements: Catenation is the capacity of an atom to construct a lengthy chain structure by making bonds with identical atoms. In this category, only sulphur has a strong proclivity for catenation. This tendency is also seen in oxygen but to a lesser amount.
- Elemental State of Group 16 Elements: The molecule of oxygen is a diatomic molecule. It takes the shape of a gas. An oxygen molecule has a pπ–pπ overlap between two oxygen atoms, producing a double bond, O=O. Oxygen exists as gas because its intermolecular interactions are less than Van der Waals forces. The family’s remaining members lack stable pπ–pπ bonds and do not exist as diatomic molecules. Single bonds join the other atoms, resulting in polyatomic complex compounds.
Group 16 Elements
Group 16 Elements refer to those elements which are arranged in the 16th group of the Modern Periodic Table. Group 16 accommodates five elements in total from the second to sixth period. If we carefully observe the periodic table, we find that in the case of Group 16 Elements, the last electrons enter the p-orbital and hence the Group 16 Elements are also called p-block elements. Also, Group 16 is located on the left side of the periodic table. Group 16 Elements are primarily non-metal in nature. The p-block extends from Group 13 to Group 18. The p-block does not include helium, which is found at the top of column 8A. The p orbital can only store six electrons, which is why the p-block has six columns. The p-block is the only block that contains all three categories of elements: metals, nonmetals, and metalloids, and it has the greatest diversity of elements. In this article, we will learn about the Group 16 Elements, their electronic configuration and properties in detail.