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JEE Main levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 2 of 3pn005

Oxygen exists as discrete molecules, whereas sulphur exists as puckered rings. The best explanation is that

  1. Athe O-O single bond is stronger than the S-S single bond
  2. Boxygen has a higher atomic mass than sulphur
  3. C- multiple bonding is effective for the small oxygen atom but weak for the larger sulphur atom, and the S-S single bond is strong
  4. Dsulphur has vacant 3d orbitals which prevent it from forming any multiple bond

Answer: C

Small oxygen atoms overlap sideways effectively, so is favoured over chains of weak O-O single bonds (lone pair repulsion). For sulphur the - overlap is poor, while the S-S single bond is much stronger than O-O, so sulphur catenates into rings. The statement that O-O is stronger than S-S is false.
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