The elements of group 16 include; oxygen, sulphur, selenium, tellurium etc. These elements contain six electrons on their outermost shells. These six electrons are comprised of two lone pairs and two unpaired electrons. The outermost electron configuration of group 16 elements is ns2np4.
Let us take a well known example, look at the formation of water. Oxygen contains two lone pairs of electrons and two unpaired electrons which are used to bond to two hydrogen atoms to form H2O. Similar hydrides are formed with other group 16 elements.
