GroupIV

GroupIV, in modern IUPAC nomenclature Group 14, is one of the columns of the periodic table. It is commonly called the carbon group or the silicon group because its lighter members, carbon and silicon, are among the most abundant and technologically important elements. The group includes carbon (C, atomic number 6), silicon (Si, 14), germanium (Ge, 32), tin (Sn, 50), lead (Pb, 82), and flerovium (Fl, 114). In older nomenclature it was referred to as Group IV (A or B). The elements lie in the p-block and share a valence electron configuration of four outer electrons.

Elements in Group 14 typically exhibit four valence electrons, leading to a common oxidation state of +4, though carbon can show negative oxidation states in certain compounds such as methane. Down the group, metallic character increases: carbon is a nonmetal, silicon and germanium are metalloids with semiconducting properties, and tin and lead are metals. The group displays a range of bonding types, from covalent networks in carbon allotropes (diamond, graphite, graphene) to metallic bonding in the heavier elements. Flerovium remains largely synthetic and highly radioactive, with its chemistry not yet well established.

Industrial and scientific significance varies across the group. Silicon is central to modern electronics and photovoltaics; carbon is foundational to organic chemistry and materials science; germanium has specialized semiconductor applications; tin and lead have long histories in alloys and solders, though environmental and health concerns have reduced lead use. The group also produces diverse compounds, including silicides, germanides, stannides, and plumbides, used in various high-temperature, catalytic, and electronic contexts. Nomenclature and perceived properties reflect both the shared four-valence characteristic and the broad progression from nonmetallic to metallic behavior within the group.