In carbon family, carbon occur in the native state in form of coal, graphite, and diamond. Silicon, is the second most abundant element by weight in the earth's crust. Tin occur in form of tinnestone or cassiterite. The principal ore of lead is galena. Germanium occurs in traces.
Electronic configuration of carbon family
1.The valence shell electronic configuration of these element is ns2 np2 . The inner core of the electronic configuration of elements in this group differs from other member of p-block.
2. The electronic configuration of carbon is : 1s2 2s2 2p2 .
Order of covalent radii of carbon family
Atomic radii of these elements regularly increase as we move down the group primarily due to the addition of new energy shell at each succeeding elements.
Ionization enthalpy of carbon family
The ionization enthalpy of carbon family is higher than corresponding elements of boron family due to increased nuclear charge.
Physical properties of carbon family
All the carbon family member are solids. Carbon and silicon are non metals, germanium is metalloid, whereas tin and lead are soft metals with low melting points. The M.P. and B.P. of carbon family are higher than those of corresponding elements of boron family.
Oxidation of carbon family
The carbon family elements have four electrons in outer most shell. All the elements show an oxidation state of +4. However, as we move down the group from C to Pb, the stability of +4 oxidation state decreases while that of +2 oxidation state increases due to inert pair effect.
Trend of covalent to ionic character down the group of carbon family
In carbon family covalent character decreases from top to bottom and ionic character increases, because non-metallic property of C and Si decreases and metallic property of tin and lead increases.
