Oxygen,O,(number 8),sulfur,S,(number 16),and selenium,Se,(number 34)have such similar chemical properties because
A)their outermost shells contain the same number of electrons.
B)because they are all located close to one another in the periodic table.
C)they all have the same number of occupied shells.
D)These elements can't have similar chemical properties because they are in different periods of the periodic table.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The chemical properties of elements depend largely on the number and arrangement of electrons in their outermost shell. Oxygen, sulfur, and selenium all have six electrons in their outermost shell, making them similar in chemical properties. The fact that they are located close to each other in the periodic table supports this, but it is ultimately due to their electron configuration. Option D is incorrect because elements can have similar chemical properties even if they are in different periods of the periodic table, as long as they have similar outer electron configurations.

Oxygen,O,(number 8),sulfur,S,(number 16),and Selenium,Se,(number 34)have Such Similar Chemical Properties Because