Question

How catenation tendency vary in group 14?

Answer 1

Group 14 elements are carbon, silicon, germanium, tin and lead.
These group 14 elements have a special tendency of catenation (tendency to form long chains with atoms of itself) which decreases as we move down the group.

The order of catenation property is:
C >> Si > Ge >> Sn > Pb.

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Answer 2

• The self linking property of the element by virtue of which their atoms mutually combine to form long open chains or rings is called Catenation.
• The tendency of an element to undergo catenation increases with increase in the strength of the M–M bond, where M represents an atom of the given element.
• As the size of carbon atom is very small, the C–C bond is quite strong and formation of this bond is thermodynamically very favourable. However, on moving down the group, the atomic size increases and the strength of bond decreases and consequently, the tendency to exhibit the property of catenation decreases.
• The Catenation property of group-14 elements follow the order-

                  C >> Si > Ge = Sn

• Lead does not exhibit catenation.