Group 14 elements: the carbon family

Introduction:
The carbon family elements in the periodic table that belong to the Group 14 or the IV A family are carbon (C), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), lead (Pb) and Ununquadium (Uuq). The carbon family is unique in having one metal, three metals and two metalloids.

Properties of individual elements of the carbon family may be represented by the table below

Name of the Element	Represented by symbol	Atomic number	Atomic weight	Type	Electronic configuration of the elements
Carbon	C	6	12.011	Non-metal	[He]2s22p2
Silicon	Si	14	28.0855	Metalloid	[Ne]3s23p2
Germanium	Ge	32	72.61	Metalloid	[Ar]3d104s24p2
Tin	Sn	50	118.710	Metal	[Kr]4d105s25p2
Lead	Pb	82	207.2	Metal	[Xe]4f145d106s26p2
Ununquadium	Uuq	114	289	Metal	[Rn]5f146d107s27p2

The electronic configuration in the valence shells of the carbon family elements is ns², np².  Sharing of electrons is seen in most of the elements of the carbon family. As the size of the atom is increased, the tendency of the elements to lose electrons decreases. Similarly, the tendency of losing electrons decreases with the increase in the atomic number among the elements of the carbon family. The oxidation states of the elements in the carbon family are usually +4 and +2 for heavier elements because of the inert pair effect.

Individual elements in the carbon family:

Carbon: The first element known to humans and is the fourth most abundantly found element. Carbon exists both in elemental form and as allotropes, the most common being diamond and graphite.
Silicon: Crystalline metalloid that forms the foundation for the age of semiconductors. The common compound SiO₂ is abundantly found in earth’s crust.
Germanium: Used in manufacturing of semi-conductor devices. Rarely present in earth’s crust.
Tin: When pure, the metal is silvery white and is very soft. Forms low-melting alloys called solders that connect electric circuits.
Lead: Readily combines with the oxygen in the air forming Pb₂O, which results in the dulling of the surface on exposure to air.

Conclusion on carbon family:

The elements in the carbon family include a non-metal, two metalloids and three metals, varying greatly in their physical and chemical properties. These elements occur as elemental forms and in the form of compounds in nature. The elements of Group 14 are relatively non-reactive and usually tend to form covalent compounds with exceptions of tin and lead that form ionic compounds.