Table of Contents
Group 14 Elements
Group 14 elements are elements in the periodic table that are in the group 14 column. These elements are carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, and lead. These elements are all in the carbon family and are all solid at room temperature. They all have four valence electrons and are all semiconductors.
Carbon Group Periodic Table
The carbon group of the periodic table consists of carbon (C), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), lead (Pb), and flerovium (Fl). These elements are all located in the p-block of the periodic table.
Carbon is a very versatile element and is found in all organic molecules. Silicon is the most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and is used in the manufacture of semiconductors. Germanium is a semiconductor and is used in optical fibers. Tin is used in alloys such as bronze and pewter. Lead is a soft metal and is used in lead-acid batteries. Flerovium is a synthetic element that has not yet been found in nature.
Carbon
Carbon is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6. It is a nonmetal with a blue-black metallic luster. Carbon is the 15th most abundant element in the universe and the 4th most abundant element in the Earth’s crust. Carbon is an important part of all known life, and is the basis of organic chemistry.
The physical and chemical properties of carbon vary widely with the allotropes of carbon. The three most common allotropes of carbon are diamond, graphite, and amorphous carbon. Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance known, with a Vickers hardness of 10,000 N/m2. Graphite is the most widely used industrial mineral, with a hardness of 2–2.5 on the Mohs scale and a density of 2.3 g/cm3. Amorphous carbon is the least dense solid form of carbon, with a density of about 1.3 g/cm3.
Silicon
Valley is a term that is used to describe the area in California that is home to many technology companies. The term was first used in the early 1990s and has since become a global phenomenon. Silicon Valley is located in the southern San Francisco Bay Area and is made up of the cities of San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Milpitas. The region is known for its high concentration of technology companies, venture capitalists, and startup companies.
Germanium
In semiconductors, the concentration of dopant atoms alters the material’s electrical characteristics. For example, adding arsenic (As) to silicon (Si) creates an n-type semiconductor, because arsenic has five valence electrons and can donate them to the silicon crystal. This creates a negatively charged channel along which electrons can flow, making the material an excellent conductor of electricity. Conversely, adding boron (B) to silicon creates a p-type semiconductor, because boron has only three valence electrons and can accept them from the silicon crystal. This creates a positively charged channel along which electrons cannot flow, making the material an excellent insulator.
Stannum
is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a silvery-white, malleable, ductile metal.
Stannum is not found free in nature, but it is often found in the minerals stannite, cassiterite, and columbite.
Stannum was first isolated by the alchemist Jābir ibn Hayyān in the 8th century.
Stannum is used in a variety of alloys, including pewter, brass, and bronze. It is also used in the production of coins.
Stannum has a melting point of 621.5 °C and a boiling point of 2,625 °C.
The element is named for the Latin word for tin, stannum.
Plumbum
Lead.
In the mineral kingdom, lead is commonly found in sulfide ores such as galena (PbS), anglesite (PbSO4), and cerussite (PbCO3). These ores are usually found in association with other metals such as zinc, silver, and copper.
Flerovium
Flerovium is a synthetic element with the symbol Fl and atomic number 114. It is a radioactive metal that is produced artificially in nuclear reactors.
Flerovium was first synthesized in 1998 by a team of Russian scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna.
Flerovium is a member of the actinide series of elements. It is a very heavy metal with a density of about 27 g/cm3. Flerovium is a silvery-white metal that is highly radioactive and melts at about 2900°C.
The most stable isotope of flerovium is Fl-289, which has a half-life of about 2.6 minutes. All other isotopes of flerovium are radioactive and have short half-lives.
Flerovium is not found naturally on Earth. It is produced artificially in nuclear reactors.
Flerovium is used in research and development work on new types of nuclear weapons.
Flerovium is highly radioactive and is a health and safety hazard.
