Question

Is Po a chalcogen?

Answer 1

Hint:The elements of group 16 are called chalcogens. It consists of elements like oxygen and sulfur. It is observed that most metals occur in nature in the form of oxides or sulfides. This is because oxygen and sulfur are highly reactive and form compounds with metals in different proportions.

Complete step-by-step answer:- The chalcogens are the chemical elements present in group 16 of the periodic table. This group is also known as the oxygen family.
- This group consists of the elements like oxygen, sulfur, selenium, tellurium, and polonium.
- Hence, Polonium is a chalcogen.
- It is a highly radioactive metal with no stable isotopes. Po – 210 has a half-life of only 138 days. It is extremely toxic even in small amounts and is termed as perfect poison.
- Polonium is the heaviest metal amongst the chalcogens. This radioactive semimetal is found in uranium ores. It is used in some devices to eliminate static electricity in processes such as manufacturing sheet plastic, rolling paper, etc.
- Polonium is known to emit alpha-particles after the process of disintegration.
- If Po – 210 enters inside the body, either through inhalation or swallowing, the results can be fatal.

Note:All the elements of the chalcogen family have 6 valence shell electrons. They are also referred to as ore-forming elements because a huge amount of metal exists in the oxide or sulfide form in the earth’s crust. Many chalcogens tend to occur as different allotropes.