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In the periodic table, carbon (C), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), and lead (Pb) are known as group 14 or members of the carbon family in the p-block , whose external electron configuration ns2np2 is found with only two electrons in the p orbital.
If we pay attention to the radius of the elements of group 14, we will find that the radius of group 14 elements is smaller than the radius of group 13 elements, mainly because of the effective nuclear charge. The radius increases from carbon to silicon, but then decreases, mainly due to the d and f orbitals.
If you compare the ionisation energy of this group with that of group 13, then you will find that its ionisation energy is very high, mainly because of the size of its atom. Also, it has been found that if we go from top to bottom, then there is a decrease in ionisation enthalpy.
The elements of group 14 have very high melting points and boiling points, mainly because of their solid structure. Due to the presence of two bonds in Sn and Pb, they have low melting points. Carbon has a lattice structure, and its melting point is much higher than all others. As we go further down in this group, there is a decrease in the melting point.
Carbon Compounds
The number of compounds related to carbon is much greater than that of compounds composed of all other elements. Carbon forms many compounds due to its various properties, in which methane (CH4) is known as its parent compound. Apart from this, hydrocarbons are also known as its parent compound, which is formed by the combination of hydrogen and carbon. Many bonds are also present in the formation of these compounds, in which single, double or triple bonds are seen.
Based on the number of bonds, carbon compounds are placed in two major categories. This can be seen mainly between C-atoms, which are mainly found between saturated carbon compounds and unsaturated carbon compounds, which are explained below:
Saturated Carbon Compounds- Saturated Carbon Compounds are carbon compounds in which the different carbon atoms in a chain or ring are solely connected by single bonds. Alkanes are carbon compounds with a saturated chain and a structure similar to that of ethane, as shown below.
Unsaturated Carbon Compounds- Unsaturated carbon compounds contain double or triple bonds to the carbon atoms, with these bonds linking them into a chain or ring. The most prevalent unsaturated chain carbon compounds are alkanes and alkynes. Alkanes are linked primarily by double bonds between carbon atoms, while alkynes are linked by triple bonds between carbon atoms. The following is an example of ethene.
Silicon
Compounds such as silica and silicates are found in about 95% of the Earth’s crust. Silica is mainly known as silicon dioxide. Some other forms of silica are quartz, cristobalite, tridymite, etc. Silico is a covalent compound, and it is tetrahedral with four oxygen atoms.
Silicones- Silicones are a component of organosilicon polymers, which include repeating units. It’s made by replacing an alkyl or an aryl group. It’s also worth noting that it’s encircled by a nonpolar alkyl group.
Silicates- The zeolite is another type of silicate, with the structure SiO4 (four oxygen atoms bonded to a single silicon atom). Silicate rings can form both chains and three-dimensional structures.
Zeolites- Zeolites were once known to be utilised as catalysts in the petrochemical industry. These are combined with alcohol and then transformed into gasoline using a zeolite called ZSM-5. Zeolites are most commonly used to soften hard water.
Germanium
Halogens are described as halides, oxygen as oxides, and hydrogen as hydrides in this section. Here are some binary compounds, additional germanium compounds and germanium oxidation values for all compounds, particularly to p-block elements. Based on the oxidation number, an electrical configuration is also provided. The oxidation numbers 4, 2, and -4 are the most frequent for germanium.
Hydrides | Germanium tetrahydride: GeH4 Digermanium hexahydride: Ge2H6 |
Fluorides | Germanium difluoride: GeF2 Germanium tetrafluoride: GeF4 |
Chlorides | Germanium dichloride: GeCl2 Germanium tetrachloride: GeCl4 |
Iodides | Germanium diiodide: GeI2 Germanium tetraiodide: GeI4 |
Oxides | Germanium oxide: GeO Germanium dioxide: GeO2 |
Tin
Tin is found in the mineral form of tin (IV) oxide in SnO2, also known as stannic oxide, which is present in tin in the 4 oxidation state. Tin (II) oxide and stannous oxide are two forms of SnO. It exists in two oxidation states. Tin (II) bromide, also known as SnBr2, tin(II) chloride, SnCl2, tin (II) fluoride, SnF2, and tin (II) iodide, is a compound that contains tin in its 2 oxidation state. Tin (IV) bromide is made up of SnBr4, tin (IV) chloride is made up of SnCl4, tin (IV) fluoride is made up of SnF4, and tin (IV) iodide is made up of SnI4.
Conclusion
The major elements of group 14 are carbon (C), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), and lead (Pb), which are useful not only as elements but also as compounds. They are employed in various fields, ranging from medical to industrial. In nature, several of these components can be found in abundance. Carbon, silicon, and germanium, on the other hand, have exceptionally high melting and boiling temperatures due to their incredibly stable solid structures.
