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Octatomic element

In chemistry, an octatomic element is an element that, at some standard temperature and pressure, is in a configuration of eight atoms bound together. The canonical example is sulfur, S8, but red selenium is also an octatomic element stable at room temperature. Octaoxygen is also known, but it is extremely unstable.

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Jul 18, 2026

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In chemistry, an octatomic element is an element that, at some standard temperature and pressure, is in a configuration of eight atoms bound together (a homonuclear molecule). The canonical example is sulfur, S₈,¹ but red selenium is also an octatomic element stable at room temperature. Octaoxygen is also known, but it is extremely unstable.

See also

See also

Diatomic element

References

References

Bartlett, Paul D.; Lohaus, Gerhard; Weis, Claus D. (October 4, 1958). "Reactions of Elemental Sulfur. III.1A Preliminary Study of the Conversion of Hexatomic to Octatomic Sulfur". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 80 (19): 5064–5069. doi:10.1021/ja01552a018.