What are Anomolous Properties

Carbon can be found in a variety of forms all over the planet, including 0.02% of the crust of the Earth itself, which is made up of carbon. Since carbon is so dissimilar to the other items in the group, it is the first thing that comes to mind when viewing the collection as a whole. Carbon exhibits unusual behavior as a result of a number of characteristics, including the absence of d-orbitals, in addition to its unusual size, high electrification, high ionization energy, and lack of d-orbitals. Carbon also has an unusually high ionization energy. When compared to other elements that are part of the same group as carbon, such as oxygen, the temperatures at which carbon-based compounds melt and boil are significantly higher.

Relationship that is Diagonal

Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Fluorine have been observed to have slightly different periodic properties than the rest of the elements that belong to Group 1, 2, 13-17 respectively. This was discovered through the process of observation. For instance, lithium and beryllium are examples of elements that can form covalent compounds, whereas the remaining Group 1 and Group 2 members can only form ionic compounds. In addition, the nature of the amphoteric oxide that is produced when beryllium reacts with oxygen is distinct from the nature of the basic oxides that are produced by other Group 2 elements. One more illustration is that of Carbon, which is capable of forming stable multiple bonds, in contrast to the relatively uncommon occurrence of Si=Si double bonds.

Therefore, it has been demonstrated beyond a reasonable doubt that the components of the second period are distinct. In point of fact, they have periodic properties that are comparable to those of the second element in the group that follows them (for example, lithium is comparable to magnesium, and beryllium is comparable to aluminum), which indicates that their relationship is a diagonal one.

Causes Behind Some Unexplained Periodic Characteristics

The following factors contribute to the disparities in periodic properties and, by extension, chemical behaviour:

Due to their diminutive size, these atoms

Elevated levels of electronegativity

A high ratio of charge to radius

These elements also have only 4 valence orbitals available for bonding (2s and 2p), which is lower than the 9 valence orbitals that the other members of their respective groups have available (3s, 3p, and 3d), which is why their maximum covalency is only 4. (Because of this, boron can only form the compound [BF4]–, while aluminum can form the compound [AlF6]3-.

These are the explanations for why elements belonging to the second period have periodic properties that deviate from the norm, but the periodic table also displays a number of other normal trends.

A Word or Two About Lithium

The elements that make up Group 1 of the periodic table are known as the Alkali Metals. Lithium is the first element that belongs to group 1. Then, why does it act in such a different manner? It turns out that the unusual behavior of the element is due to the fact that it is relatively small. Let’s take a look at how.

Characteristics of the Component

In its natural state, lithium possesses a high degree of electropositivity. Because of this, it is capable of forming covalent bonds with other substances. Its ion exhibits polarization behavior that is, to a certain extent, analogous to that of magnesium ions. As a consequence, the relationship between magnesium and lithium can be characterized as diagonal. There are a number of factors that contribute to the existence of this type of relationship between the two of them. Let’s take a look at the many different reasons listed below.

The Electropositive Nature of the Elements 

increases as we move from the top to the bottom of a group. This characteristic, on the other hand, becomes less prominent as we progress through a period from left to right. We can attribute the similarities in the properties of diagonal elements to the fact that this is the reason why we observe them.

Conclusion

Carbon is capable of more than just this one thing; it can also form multiple pp – pp bonds with itself and a variety of other molecules. There is also the possibility that this is due to its diminutive size and high electronegativity. Some of them would be something like C = C, C° C, C = O, C = S, and C° N.