CameraIcon
CameraIcon
SearchIcon
MyQuestionIcon
MyQuestionIcon
8
You visited us 8 times! Enjoying our articles? Unlock Full Access!
Question

Carbon a member of group 14 forms a large no. of carbon compounds estimated to be about three million. Why is this property not exhibited by other elements of this group? Explain


Open in App
Solution

Carbon(C) is the first element of group 14 and it has smaller nuclei which enable it to hold tightly a shared pair of electrons.

Carbon has some specific features which enable it to form such a large amount of compounds and a long chain.

The special properties of carbon: The special properties of carbon are as follows-

  • Tetra valency: Carbon has 4 electrons in its outer shell due to which it needs 4 more electrons to complete its octet.

Valency of carbon- 2, 4

Accepting 4 electrons or losing 4 electrons are very high energy required processes that are not possible for any atom so carbon shares its 4 electrons to form a covalent bond and that is one of the reasons for the high level of carbon compounds.

  • Catenation: Carbon has a very special property of self-linking by which carbon forms a very long chain which is called as catenation property of carbon.

For example, Soap(C17H35COONa) etc.

  • Isomerism: Carbon has one more special property that is isomerism. The same collection of atoms and bonds, but in a different geometrical arrangement within the molecule, makes a molecule with a different shape and hence different properties. These different molecules are called isomers.

  • Multiple bonds: Carbon can form a single bond by sharing one electron and can form a double bond by sharing two electrons, can also form a triple bond by sharing three electrons.

That is all the reason why carbon has such a large no. of carbon compounds.


flag
Suggest Corrections
thumbs-up
6
Join BYJU'S Learning Program
similar_icon
Related Videos
thumbnail
lock
Friendly Carbon
CHEMISTRY
Watch in App
Join BYJU'S Learning Program
CrossIcon