General Introduction – General 14 Elements

The elements of group 14 are the second group in the p-block of the periodic table, after the elements of group 13. It is sometimes referred to as the carbon elemental group. This group’s members are as follows: 

• Carbon (C)
• Silicon (Si)
• Germanium (Ge)
• Tin (Sn)
• Lead (Pb)
• Flerovium (Fl) 

Electronic configuration of group 14 elements: 

Element ns²np² has been assigned to the group 14 elements in terms of their basic electrical configuration. These elements have two electrons in their outermost p orbitals, which are the most stable. The following diagram depicts the electrical arrangement of these elements: 

Because all of the elements in group 14 have four electrons in their outermost shell, the valency of the elements in group 14 is equal to four. They make use of these electrons throughout the bond building process in order to achieve the octet structure. 

Oxidation states and Inert pair effect of group 14 elements: 

+2, and +4 are general oxidation states shown by the elements belonging to group 14.

As we progress through the group, the likelihood of forming a +2 ion increases. The inert pair effect is responsible for this. p-block elements are capable of exhibiting this behaviour.

The inert pair effect can be used to explain this phenomenon. This occurs when the s-orbital does not participate in bonding because of inadequate shielding provided by the intervening electrons. 

The d and f orbitals of elements such as Sn and Pb are completely occupied by electrons. Moreover, because the shielding ability of the lower d and lower f orbitals is so poor, the nuclear charge that leaks through causes the s orbital to be drawn closer to the nucleus. As a result, the s orbital is unwilling to connect, and only the p electrons are involved in the bonding process.

As a result, Pb4+ is an extremely effective oxidising agent. 

Anomalous Behaviour of Carbon: 

Carbon behaves differently from the other elements in the group as a result of the following: 

• Small Size
• High Electronegativity
• High Ionisation Enthalpy
• Absence of d-orbital in the Valence Shell 

Chemical properties of group 14 elements: 

Covalent radii: 

The radii of elements in group 14 are smaller than the radii of elements in group 13. The increase in the effective nuclear charge can be attributed to this phenomenon. Following the transition from C to Si, there is a significant increase in radii, after which the increase in radii is reduced. This can be due to the poor shielding of the d and f orbitals, which increases the effective nuclear charge and, as a result, reduces the radii of the electrons. 

Ionisation enthalpy: 

Unlike group 13 elements, group 14 elements have a higher ionisation energy than group 13 elements. This can be related to the fact that they are large. The Ionisation Enthalpy lowers as one moves along the group. From C to Si, there is a significant drop, after which the decrease becomes nominal.

The following is the sequence of events: C > Si > Ge > Pb > Sn

Because of the inadequate shielding of the d and f orbitals, Pb has a higher Ionisation Enthalpy than Sn in this situation. 

Physical properties: 

Metallic character: 

Because of their small size and high ionisation enthalpy, group 14 elements have a lower electropositive charge than group 13 elements. The metallic character becomes more prominent as you move along the group. Sn and Pb are soft metals with low melting temperatures, whereas C and Si are nonmetals, Ge is a metalloid, and C and Si are nonmetals. 

Melting and boiling points: 

Carbon, silicon, and germanium have substantially higher melting and boiling points than other elements because they have a solid structure that is extremely stable. Because of the inert pair effect, the melting points of Sn and Pb are lower than those of other metals because only two bonds are formed instead of four.

Carbon has a very high melting point, which is quite rare. Almost all of the elements in group-14 have a diamond-type lattice structure, which is extremely stable in the natural world. Melting causes the collapse of these extremely stable lattice structures, which culminates in their destruction.

As one moves down the group, the melting point lowers as the M-M bonds become weaker and the size of the atoms grows larger and larger. Tin and lead are metals, and as a result, their melting points are significantly lower than those of other elements. 

Four covalent compounds: 

Four-covalent compounds are those in which the four electrons in the valence shell are actively involved in the formation of bonds between the atoms. This property is shared by the majority of the elements in group 14. 

Oxides of group 14 elements: 

The elements of Group 14 combine to generate oxides of the types MO and MO2. Lead can also form the oxide Pb3O4, which is a mixture of the oxides PbO and PbO2, and is used in the production of lead alloys. CO is the most neutral of the monoxides, whereas GeO is the most basic, and SnO and PbO are the most amphoteric.

C is sp-hybridised in the presence of CO2. It differs from SiO2 in that Si is sp3 hybridised, as opposed to SiO2. Each O atom in SiO2 is joined to two Si bonds, forming a double bond. For SiO2, this results in the formation of a three-dimensional structure. This also demonstrates the high melting point of silicon dioxide.

The acidic nature of the dioxides diminishes as one moves down the group. CO2 is the most acidic and PbO2 is the most basic of the dioxides, with CO2 being the most basic. 

Conclusion: 

Carbon is an essential component of all known life. It can be found in all organic substances, such as DNA, steroids, and proteins, among others. One of the most important reasons for carbon’s relevance in life is its capacity to make a large number of bonds with other elements. In an average 70-kilogram individual, there are 16 kilograms of carbon to be found.