Which of the following represents the correct decreasing order of negative electron gain enthalpy for the elements of Group 16?

Step-by-step solution

In Group 16, the negative electron gain enthalpy generally decreases (becomes less negative) down the group as atomic size increases. However, oxygen has a significantly smaller atomic size than sulfur. The addition of an electron to the compact 2p subshell of oxygen results in strong interelectronic repulsions. As a result, the incoming electron feels less attraction from the nucleus, making the electron gain enthalpy of oxygen the least negative in the entire group. Thus, the correct decreasing order of negative