Question

why does oxygen exit as a diatomic molecule while the other elements in the gp 16 exists as polyatomic molecules

Answer 1

The group 16 elements are oxygen, sulfur, selenium, tellurium amd polonium. They are collectively called as chalcogens (i.e ore forming substances ) since they are present along with ores of metals.

Out of all these except oxygen all the other four elements are solids at room temperature，so they can exist as monoatomic atoms. Whereas oxygen is a gas and as gases always exist as diatomic molecules, oxygen is the only group 16 element which exists as diatomic molecule

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