Question

Identify the falsc statement regarding Group IVA clements. (1) Lead is the densest clement. (2) Silicon is denser than diamond. (3) M M bond cnergy is highest for carbon. (4) Order of catenation power is \(\mathrm{C}>\mathrm{Si}>\mathrm{Gc}>\mathrm{Sn}\).

Short answer

Statement 2 is false.

Step-by-step solution

- Review Each Statement

Analyze each statement individually to determine its accuracy.

- Verify Statement 1

Statement 1: Lead is the densest element among Group IVA elements. Lead is indeed the densest element in Group IVA.

- Verify Statement 2

Statement 2: Silicon is denser than diamond. This statement is false. Diamond, a form of carbon, has a higher density than silicon.

- Verify Statement 3

Statement 3: The M-M bond energy is highest for carbon. This is correct because carbon-carbon bonds are stronger compared to other Group IVA elements.

- Verify Statement 4

Statement 4: The order of catenation power is \(\text{C > Si > Ge > Sn}\). This is true because carbon exhibits the strongest catenation ability among Group IVA elements.

Conclusion

The statement that is false is Statement 2.

Key concepts

Element Density

Element density refers to the mass per unit volume of an element. In Group IVA elements, density varies significantly. Lead (Pb), for instance, is recognized as the densest element in this group.
Here's the breakdown:

• Lead (Pb): Densest in Group IVA.
• Carbon (C): Density varies depending on its allotropes like diamond (high density) and graphite (lower density).
• Silicon (Si): Less dense than diamond but still relatively dense.

The false statement here is that silicon is denser than diamond. In reality, diamond, an allotrope of carbon, has a substantially higher density due to its tightly packed crystal structure.

Catenation Power

Catenation power is the ability of an element to form long chains and rings with atoms of the same element. In Group IVA, this ability decreases as we move down the group.
Here is the order of catenation power:

• Carbon (C): Highest catenation power. This allows it to form versatile and complex structures like proteins, DNA, and synthetic polymers.
• Silicon (Si): Can form chains, but its catenation power is less than carbon's.
• Germanium (Ge) and Tin (Sn): Lower catenation power compared to silicon and carbon.

This order explains why carbon-based life forms are more common and why carbon chemistry is so rich and diverse. The correct statement here is that carbon has the greatest catenation power.

Bond Energy

Bond energy is the measure of bond strength in a chemical bond, defined as the amount of energy required to break one mole of bonds in a substance. For Group IVA elements, the bond energy varies:

• Carbon (C-C bonds): Highest bond energy. Carbon-carbon bonds are extremely strong due to significant overlap of p-orbitals.
• Silicon (Si-Si), Germanium (Ge-Ge), and Tin (Sn-Sn) bonds: Considerably weaker compared to carbon-carbon bonds.

This means carbon forms very stable compounds, a foundation of organic chemistry. The correct statement here is that carbon has the highest M-M (element-element) bond energy in Group IVA.

Elemental Properties

Elements in Group IVA show a wide range of properties due to their unique electron configurations. Here are a few key properties:

• Carbon (C): Exists in various allotropes like diamond (hardest natural material) and graphite (good conductor of electricity).
• Silicon (Si): Widely used in electronics and semiconductors due to its moderate conductive properties.
• Germanium (Ge) and Tin (Sn): Lesser-known, but have applications in electronics (Ge) and soldering/metal alloys (Sn).
• Lead (Pb): Known for its high density, used in batteries and radiation shielding but is toxic.

This diverse set of properties makes Group IVA elements crucial in various industrial applications. The factual statement here is lead being the densest of these elements.