The ground-state electronic configurations of atoms of these carbon group elements show that each has four electrons in its outermost shells. As has been explained, if n represents the outermost shell (n being two for carbon, three for silicon, etc.), then these four electrons are represented by the symbols ns²np². Such a configuration suggests the importance of referring to the relatively stable noble-gas-atom configuration preceding each element in determining the properties of the element, in particular its chemical properties. The loss of four electrons by either a carbon atom or a silicon atom to give ions having a positive charge of four (or +4, written C⁴⁺ or Si⁴⁺) with the electron configurations of the preceding noble-gas atoms is precluded by the sizable ionization energies. Ions of +4 charge do not exist, nor is there any evidence that carbon or silicon ions of charge +2 can form by the loss of only two unpaired (np, or outermost) electrons. Electron loss by atoms of the heavier elements of the family is easier, but it cannot lead to ions with noble-gas-atom configurations because of the presence of underlying (i.e., d¹⁰) arrangements of electrons inside the outermost shell. It is again unlikely that the +4 ions of germanium, tin, and lead (in symbols Ge⁴⁺, Sn⁴⁺, and Pb⁴⁺) exist in known compounds, but it is true that the inertness of the ns² pair of electrons (which are, in terms of energy states, closer to the nucleus than the np² pair) increases substantially with increasing atomic number in the family and thus allows the np² electrons to be removed separately, to form at least the ions, Sn²⁺ and Pb²⁺. Oxidation states of +2 and +4 can be assigned in covalent compounds of each of these elements with elements that are more electronegative (i.e., having greater affinity for electrons).

Catenation

Carbon is unique among the elements in the almost infinite capacity of its atoms to bond to each other in long chains, a process called catenation (Latin catena, chain). This characteristic reflects the strength of the bond between adjacent carbon atoms in the molecule, both in relationship to similar bonds involving other elements of the carbon family and in relationship to bonds between carbon atoms and atoms of many other elements. Only the carbon–hydrogen, carbon–fluorine, and carbon–oxygen single bonds (C―H, C―F, and C―O) are stronger than the carbon–carbon single bond (C―C), and each of these is weaker than the carbon–carbon multiple bonds (C=C or C≡C). On the other hand, the silicon–silicon single bond (Si―Si) is weaker than other single bonds involving an atom of other elements with the silicon atom. The same is undoubtedly true of the germanium–germanium and tin–tin single bonds (Ge―Ge, Sn―Sn) in relationship to single covalent bonds between atoms of these elements and atoms of other elements. Experimentally, there appears to be no practical upper limit to catenation involving carbon. This phenomenon in three dimensions produces the diamond and in two dimensions the layers in graphite. Catenation is also exhibited to a high degree by elemental silicon, germanium, and tin, but it is strictly limited in compounds of these elements; silicon may have up to 14 atoms in a chain; germanium, 9; and tin, 2 or 3 only, largely in hydrides (compounds containing hydrogen). Double and triple bonds in catenated arrangements are limited to carbon.

Catenation, via single or multiple bonds or both, combined with several other factors allows carbon to form more compounds than any other element. These factors are: (1) the stability of certain carbon bonds, in particular of the C―H bond; (2) the existence of carbon in both sp² and sp³ hybridizations; (3) the ability of carbon to form both chain and cyclic compounds (in which the chain of atoms is joined end to end to form a ring) based upon either carbon atoms alone or carbon atoms in combination with those of other nonmetals (e.g., oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen) and either upon single- or multiple-bond arrangements; and (4) the capability of many carbon compounds to exist in isomeric forms (isomers are molecules with identical numbers of the same atoms bonded in different arrangements; such molecules have quite different properties). All but a very few carbon compounds are called organic compounds, and they are discussed in the article chemical compound.

Atomic size

Reference has been made to some of the physical properties of the carbon group elements. Most of the variations in properties from carbon through lead parallel increase in atomic size and are comparable with those of elements in the boron, nitrogen, oxygen, and fluorine groups. The general trends are roughly those found for the adjacent boron group and nitrogen group elements. The significantly higher melting and boiling points of the carbon group elements reflect their tendency to exist as giant molecules, as opposed to the tendencies of elements in the adjacent families to exist as smaller, discrete molecules.

As is true of the lightest element in each group of elements, the physical properties of carbon differ substantially from those of the other members of its family. To a large degree, these differences reflect the substantially higher concentration of the positive charge on the carbon nucleus relative to the size of the carbon atom. That is, the nucleus of carbon holds only six electrons in two shells and, therefore, holds them close; the nucleus of lead, on the other hand, has 82 electrons distributed in six shells. The attraction between the nucleus of lead and its outermost electrons is less than in carbon, because intervening shells in lead shield the outer electrons. Structural differences between diamond and graphite produce profound differences between them in hardness, conductivity, density, heat capacity, and other properties. Inasmuch as graphite is a unique crystalline formation among the elements, its properties should not be compared directly with those of the other elements in the family.

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Reactions

With a given reagent, diamond is generally less reactive than graphite and, thus, requires more rigorous conditions for reaction, such as a higher temperature; the ultimate products, however, are the same. Crystalline silicon is less reactive than finely divided and, possibly, amorphous silicon. Elemental germanium resembles silicon quite closely. Tin and lead behave in general as metals and thus yield at least some ionic products in reactions that are quite different from those of the other elements. Elemental carbon is of particular importance as a high-temperature reducing agent (a reagent that donates electrons) in metallurgical processing for metal oxides, a reaction that frees the metal. For example, tin can be obtained from its ore cassiterite by reduction with carbon in the form of charcoal. Thus to cite only a few of carbon’s more important applications, carbon is used directly in the production of elemental phosphorus, arsenic, bismuth, tin, lead, zinc, and cadmium, and indirectly, as carbon monoxide, in the production of iron. Elemental silicon, in the iron–silicon alloy ferrosilicon, is also a strong reducing agent and has been used as such to liberate magnesium from its oxide.