Write a note on the anomalous behaviour of carbon in the group-14.

Explanation

Carbon differs from its congeners in the following respects :
1) Carbon occurs in free state whereas other elements are almost not available in free state.
2) Carbon has no available d-orbitals in its valence shell while other elements have available d-orbitals.
3) The maximum covalency of carbon is 4 whereas other elements exhibit a maximum covalency of 6.
4) Corbon has a very high catenating ability.
5) Carbon alone can form multiple bonds among themselves.
6) Carbon forms a large number of hydrides known as hydrocarbons, which are thermally very stable. The other elements form limited number of hydrides which are thermally not very stable.
7) Reducing nature of carbon is very high while the reducing nature of others is less.
8) The halogen compounds of carbon are not hydrolysed while the other halogen compounds are readily hydrolysed.