By V.S.Verma PGT (Chemistry) K.V.No.

1 Jaipur

Reasoning based questions on Group 16 elements (The p-block elements)

Group 16 elements have lower ionisation enthalpy values compared to those of Group 15 in the corresponding
periods.
Group 15 elements have highly stable half filled sub shell configuration (ns2np3),whereas group 16 elements get half
Ans.
2
4
filled sub shell configuration after losing one electron (ns np ).
Knowing the electron gain enthalpy values for O O and O O2 as 141 and 702 kJ mol1 respectively, explain
2
these values and how can you account for the formation of a large number of oxides having O2 species and not O?

Ans.
3

IInd electron gain enthalpy of oxygen is positive because after gaining one electron , electron density increases which
causes electron-electron repulsion for next incoming electron.
Reason for the formation of a large number of oxides having O2 species and not O is that after gaining 2 electrons
oxygen gets noble gas configuration which is highly stable.
Oxygen has less negative electron gain enthalpy than sulphur.

Due to small atomic size of oxygen there is high e- density so there is high electron-electron repulsion for incoming
Ans. electron.But due to bigger atomic size of sulpher there is low e- density so there is less electron-electron repulsion
for incoming electron. therefore oxygen has less negative electron gain enthalpy than sulphur.

4
Ans.
5
Ans.
6
Ans.
7
Ans.
8

Metallic character increases from oxygen to polonium.

Due to increase in atomic size down the group, ionisation enthalpy decreases so metallic character increases from
oxygen to polonium.
The stability of -2 oxidation state decreases down the group 16 .
It is due to decrease in electronegativity down the group.
The stability of + 6 oxidation state decreases down the group 16 and stability of + 4 oxidation state increase.
It is due to increased zeff down the group (inert pair effect)
Oxygen limits its covalency to four but Sulphur can have this up to 6.
Oxygen has no vacant d-orbitals in its valence shell but sulphur has vacant d-orbitals.
Oxygen is a gas but Sulphur is a solid.
Due to small atomic size of oxygen it is able to do p-p bonding and can form multiple bond , so it exists as
O=O which is very small molecule and so there are very weak dispersion forces work between O2

Ans. molecules therefore it is a gas.But due to bigger atomic size of sulpher, it is not able to do p-p bonding and can
not form multiple bond , so it exists as S8 which is very large molecule and so there are very strong dispersion forces
work between S8 molecules therefore it is a solid.
Inspite of nearly the same electronegativity, nitrogen forms hydrogen bonding while chlorine does not.
9
Ans. Because oxygen has small atomic size but chlorine has bigger atomic size.
10 Sulphur forms SF6 but Oxygen forms only OF2.
Oxygen has no vacant d-orbitals in its valence shell but sulphur has vacant d-orbitals. So sulphur can extend its
Ans.
covalency up to 6.
11 Acidic character increases from H2O to H2Te.
It is due to decrease in bond enthalpy of M-H bond down the group (that is due to increase in atomic size of central
Ans.
atom down the group). It causes easy release of H+ ion
12 Reducing character increases from H2S to H2Te.
It is due to decrease in bond enthalpy of M-H bond down the group (that is due to increase in atomic size of central
Ans.
atom down the group) It causes easy release of H atoms which cause reduction of other species.
13 H2S has lower boiling point than H2O.
In H2O there is H-bonding whereas in H2S there are dipole-dipole intractions. H-bonds are stronger intermolecular
Ans.
forces than dipole-dipole intractions.
14 H2O is liquid but H2S is gas.
In H2O there is H-bonding whereas in H2S there are dipole-dipole intractions. H-bonds are stronger intermolecular
Ans. forces than dipole-dipole intractions. So H S has lower boiling point than H O.
2
2

By V.S.Verma PGT (Chemistry) K.V.No.1 Jaipur

15
Ans.
16
Ans.
17
Ans.
18
Ans.

H2S to H2Te boiling point increases.

It is due to increase in molecular size from H2S to H2Te, so dispersion forces among the molecules increase and it
causes increase in boiling point.
Reducing property of dioxide decreases from SO2 to TeO2.
It is due to increased zeff down the group (inert pair effect) due to which oxidation to +6 state become difficult as we
go down in the group.
The stability of the halides decreases in the order F > Cl > Br > I.
As the size of halide ion increases, bond length of M-X bond increases and bond enthalpy decreases. So the stability

of the halides decreases in the order F > Cl > Br > I .

SF6 is stable against hydrolysis but SF4 and SeF6 not.
Because in SF6, sulphur is sterically protected from all sides and water molecule can not attack on it. But in SF4 and
SeF6 central atom is not fully sterically protected from all sides and water molecule can attack easily on them.

23
Ans.

SF4 is a gas, SeF4 a liquid and TeF4 a solid.

It is due to increase in molecular size from SF4 to TeF4, so dispersion forces among the molecules increase and it
causes increase in boiling point.
It is necessary to use a silent electrical discharge in preparation of O3.
While preparing O3 silent electrical discharge( sparkless electral discharge) is carried out, as otherwise heat is
produced which will convert O3 in to O2.
Ozone is thermodynamically unstable with respect to oxygen.
Ozone is thermodynamically unstable with respect to oxygen since its decomposition into oxygen results in the
liberation of heat (H is negative) and an increase in entropy (S is positive). These two effects reinforce each other,
resulting in large negative Gibbs energy change (G) for its conversion into oxygen.(G=H-TS)
O3 acts as a powerful oxidising agent.
Ozone is thermodynamically unstable with respect to oxygen so it decomposes into O2 and liberates nascent oxygen
atoms. O3 -> O2 + O
The two oxygen-oxygen bond lengths in the ozone molecule are identical (128 pm).
It is due to resonance.

24
Ans.
25
Ans.

S2 is paramagnetic like O2.

Because it has 2 unpaired electrons in its * molecular orbitals.
The two sulphur-oxygen bond lengths in the SO2 molecule are identical.
It is due to resonance.

19
Ans.
20
Ans.
21
Ans.
22
Ans.

26

Ka2<< Ka1 for H2SO4 in water.

Ans.

Because degree of Ist step ionisation is very very higher than IInd step ionisation as in II nd step H+ ion is removed
from an anion.

27
Ans.
28
Ans.
29
Ans.
30

OF6 compound does not exist.

Oxygen has no vacant d-orbitals in its valence shell so oxygen can not extend its covalency up to 6.
Group 16 elements are called as chalcogens.
As most of ores contain oxygen and sulphur. The are ore forming substances.
Sulphur has greater tendency for catenation than oxygen.
It is due to higher bond enthalpy of S-S single bond than O-O single bond.
Sulphur disappears when boiled with an aqueous solution of sodium sulphite.

Ans.

It is due to the formation of sodium thiosulphate.

S + Na2SO3 -> Na2S2O3