Chalcogen

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Group	16
Period
2	8 O
3	16 S
4	34 Se
5	52 Te
6	84 Po
7	116 Uuh

The chalcogens (with the "ch" pronounced with a hard "c" as in "chemistry") are the name for the periodic table group 16 (old-style: VIB or VIA) in the periodic table. It is sometimes known as the oxygen family. It consists of the elements oxygen (O), sulfur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), the radioactive polonium (Po), and the synthetic ununhexium (Uuh). The compounds of the heavier chalcogens (particularly the sulfides, selenides, and tellurides) are collectively known as chalcogenides. Unless grouped with a heavier chalcogen, oxides are not considered chalcogenides.

The name is generally considered to mean "ore former" from the Greek chalcos "ore" and -gen "formation". [1]

Oxygen and sulfur are nonmetals, and polonium, selenium and tellurium are metalloid semiconductors (i.e., their electrical properties are between those of a metal and an insulator). Nevertheless, tellurium, as well as selenium, is often referred to as a metal when in elemental form.

Chalcogenides are quite common as minerals. For example, FeS₂ (pyrite) is an iron ore and AuTe₂ gave its name to the gold rush town of Telluride, Colorado in the United States.

The formal oxidation number of the chalcogen is generally -2 in a chalcogenide but other values (e.g. -1 in pyrite) can be attained.

The highest formal oxidation number +6 is found in sulfates, selenates and tellurates, e.g. in Na₂SeO₄ (sodium selenate). Modern chemical understanding based on quantum theory somewhat outdates the use of formal oxidation numbers in favour of a many-electron wavefunction approach allowing detailed computer simulation, though the concept, while flawed, is still useful in thought experiments.

**Explanation of above periodic table slice:**
Nonmetals	Metalloids	Poor metals	Atomic numbers in red are gases	Atomic numbers in black are solids	Solid borders indicate primordial elements (older than the Earth)	Dashed borders indicate radioactive natural elements	Dotted borders indicate radioactive synthetic elements

Periodic tables
Standard table \| Vertical table \| Table with names \| Names and atomic masses (large) \| Names and atomic masses (small) \| Names and atomic masses (text only) \| Inline F-block \| Elements to 218 \| Electron configurations \| Metals and nonmetals \| Table by blocks \| Alternatives
Lists of elements
Name \| Atomic symbol \| Atomic number \| Boiling point \| Melting point \| Density \| Atomic mass
Groups: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18
Periods: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9
Series: Alkalis - Alkaline earths - Lanthanides - Actinides - Transition metals - Poor metals - Metalloids - Nonmetals - Halogens - Noble gases
Blocks: s-block - p-block - d-block - f-block - g-block