Why can sulfur form S8 and oxygen at most O3?

Subject: Why can sulfur form S8 and oxygen at most O3?

Date: Thu Jan 29 00:25:59 1998
Posted by Daniel St.Cyr
Grade level: undergrad
School: Mount Royal College
City: Calgary State/Province: Alberta
Country: Canada
Area of science: Chemistry
ID: 886055159.Ch

Message:


Sulfur and oxygen are in the same group, and thus have the same 
valence electron configuration. One would think that they would be 
able to for the same patterns, but this is not the case. What is it 
that makes the difference? Could it be something like 
electronegativity, polarizability or the size of the atom?

Re: Why can sulfur form S8 and oxygen at most O3?

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