Passage-IV : Sulphur and rest of the elements of group 16 are less electronegative than oxygen. Therefore, theiratoms cannot take up electrons easily. They can acquire ns^(2)np^(6) configurationby sharing two electrons with the atoms of other elements and thus, exhibit +2 oxidation state in their compounds. In addition to this, their atoms have vacant d-orbitals in their valence shell to which electronscan be promoted from the p and s-orbitals of the shell. As a result, they can show +4 and +6 oxidation states shell. Like sulphur, oxygen does not show +4 and +6 oxidation states. The reason is :

Passage-IV : Sulphur and rest of the elements of group 16 are less el

1.	Passage-IV : Sulphur and rest of the elements of group 16 are less electronegative than oxygen. Therefore, theiratoms cannot take up electrons easily. They can acquire ns^(2)np^(6) configurationby sharing two electrons with the atoms of other elements and thus, exhibit +2 oxidation state in their compounds. In addition to this, their atoms have vacant d-orbitals in their valence shell to which electronscan be promoted from the p and s-orbitals of the shell. As a result, they can show +4 and +6 oxidation states shell. Like sulphur, oxygen does not show +4 and +6 oxidation states. The reason is :
Answer» that oxygen is a GAS while sulphur is a SOLID that oxygen has high ionization enthalpies in comparison to sulphur that oxygen has high electron AFFINITY in comparison to sulphur that oxygen has no d-orbitals in its VALENCE shell Solution :DUE to the absence of vacant d-orbitals oxygen forms only stable compounds in valency of 2.