Consider the acid strengths of the binary hydrides of Group VIA (16) H₂O, H₂S, H₂Se, and H₂Te.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The acid strength increases down the group (from O to Te) in Group VIA (16) because as the size of the central atom increases, the bond between hydrogen and the central atom becomes weaker, making it easier for the hydrogen to be released as a proton (H+), which is a characteristic of acids. This trend is not primarily due to hydrogen bonding or inner electron shielding effect, but rather due to the weakening of the H-X bond strength down the group.

Consider the Acid Strengths of the Binary Hydrides of Group