Lesson 5: Group 16 Elements (Oxygen Family)
This lesson covers Oxygen (O), Sulfur (S), Selenium (Se), Tellurium (Te), and Polonium (Po).
- Anomalous Behavior of Oxygen: Oxygen shows unique properties due to its small size, high electronegativity, and absence of d-orbitals. It is a diatomic gas (), while other members are solid.
- Allotropy of Sulfur: Sulfur exists in various allotropic forms, primarily rhombic (or -sulfur) and monoclinic (or -sulfur).
- Important Compounds:
- Sulfuric Acid (): Its industrial preparation by the Contact process, its properties as a strong acid, and its use as a dehydrating and oxidizing agent.
- Oxoacids of Sulfur: Structures and properties of different oxoacids of sulfur like sulfuric acid and oleum.
- Ozone (): Its preparation and structure.
