Group 14 Elements General Introduction – Electronic configuration and general trends in physical and: NEET MCQs with Answers

15 free questions on Group 14 Elements General Introduction – Electronic configuration and general trends in physical and for NEET (UG), starting with previous-year NEET and AIPMT questions. Try each one, then tap Show answer for the answer and a short explanation.

Syllabus covered: Electronic configuration and general trends in physical and chemical properties of elements across the periods and down the groups; unique behaviour of the first element in each group.

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Question 1

Previous-year question
Which of the following statements is incorrect? [NEET 2024 (Sawaimadhopur)]
  1. Silicon and germanium are useful in the semiconductor industry.
  2. Boron trifluoride is a strong Lewis acid.
  3. Common oxidation states of group 14 elements are +1 and +3
  4. Carbon has the tendency to form chains and rings with itself
Show answer
Answer: (C) Common oxidation states of group 14 elements are +1 and +3
Explanation: Group 14 elements have the ns²np² configuration, so their common oxidation states are +4 and +2, not +1 and +3; that statement is the incorrect one. Si and Ge are semiconductors, BF₃ is an electron-deficient Lewis acid, and carbon shows catenation, forming chains and rings.

Question 2

Previous-year question
Which of the following statements about diamond and graphite is correct? [NEET 2022]
  1. Diamond is covalent and graphite is ionic.
  2. Diamond is sp³ hybridised and graphite is sp² hybridised.
  3. Both diamond and graphite are used as dry lubricants.
  4. Diamond and graphite have two-dimensional networks.
Show answer
Answer: (B) Diamond is sp³ hybridised and graphite is sp² hybridised.
Explanation: In diamond each carbon is sp³ hybridised and tetrahedrally bonded to four others in a rigid 3D network, while in graphite each carbon is sp² hybridised and bonded to three others in hexagonal layers. Both are covalent; only graphite (slippery layers) is used as a dry lubricant, and only graphite has a two-dimensional layered network.

Question 3

Previous-year question
Of SiF₆²⁻ and SiCl₆²⁻, which one is known and why? [NEET 2021 (Paper-2)]
  1. SiF₆²⁻ because of small size of F
  2. SiF₆²⁻ because of large size of F
  3. SiCl₆²⁻ because of small size of Cl
  4. SiCl₆²⁻ because of large size of Cl
Show answer
Answer: (A) SiF₆²⁻ because of small size of F
Explanation: Fluorine atoms are small, so six of them can be accommodated around the silicon atom, and the interaction of F lone pairs with Si is strong; hence SiF₆²⁻ is known. Six large chlorine atoms cannot fit around Si (steric crowding), so SiCl₆²⁻ does not exist.

Question 4

Previous-year question
Which of the following is not correct about carbon monoxide? [NEET 2020]
  1. It reduces the oxygen-carrying ability of blood.
  2. Carboxyhaemoglobin is less stable than oxyhaemoglobin.
  3. It is produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon.
  4. It forms carboxyhaemoglobin.
Show answer
Answer: (B) Carboxyhaemoglobin is less stable than oxyhaemoglobin.
Explanation: Carboxyhaemoglobin is about 300 times more stable than oxyhaemoglobin, which is precisely why CO poisoning is so dangerous — the binding is effectively irreversible and blocks oxygen transport.

Question 5

Previous-year question
Which of the following species is not stable? [NEET 2019]
  1. [SiF₆]²⁻
  2. [GeCl₆]²⁻
  3. [Sn(OH)₆]²⁻
  4. [SiCl₆]²⁻
Show answer
Answer: (D) [SiCl₆]²⁻
Explanation: Six large chloride ions cannot be accommodated around the small silicon atom, and the interelectronic repulsion is too great, so [SiCl₆]²⁻ does not exist. With the much smaller fluoride ion, however, [SiF₆]²⁻ is perfectly stable, as are the germanium and tin species.

Question 6

Previous-year question
Which of the following statements is incorrect? [NEET 2019]
  1. PbF₄ is covalent in nature.
  2. SiCl₄ is easily hydrolysed.
  3. GeX₄ (X = F, Cl, Br, I) is more stable than GeX₂.
  4. SnF₄ is ionic in nature.
Show answer
Answer: (A) PbF₄ is covalent in nature.
Explanation: Fluorine is very small and highly electronegative, so PbF₄ (like SnF₄) is essentially ionic, not covalent. The other statements are correct: SiCl₄ hydrolyses via d-orbital participation, and the +4 state of germanium is the stable one.

Question 7

Previous-year question
It is because of the inability of the ns² electrons of the valence shell to participate in bonding that [NEET 2017]
  1. Sn²⁺ is oxidising while Pb⁴⁺ is reducing
  2. Sn²⁺ and Pb²⁺ are both oxidising and reducing
  3. Sn⁴⁺ is reducing while Pb⁴⁺ is oxidising
  4. Sn²⁺ is reducing while Pb⁴⁺ is oxidising
Show answer
Answer: (D) Sn²⁺ is reducing while Pb⁴⁺ is oxidising
Explanation: The inert pair effect is weak in tin, so Sn(II) readily loses the 5s² pair and is a reducing agent. In lead the 6s² pair is inert, so Pb(IV) tends to gain electrons and revert to Pb(II), acting as an oxidising agent.
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Question 8

Previous-year question
Element Z = 114 belongs to which family/group and electronic configuration? [2017]
  1. Carbon family, [Rn]5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s² 7p²
  2. Oxygen family, [Rn]5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s² 7p⁴
  3. Nitrogen family, [Rn]5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s² 7p⁶
  4. Halogen family, [Rn]5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s² 7p⁵
Show answer
Answer: (A) Carbon family, [Rn]5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s² 7p²
Explanation: Z = 114 (flerovium) has the configuration [Rn]5f¹⁴ 6d¹⁰ 7s² 7p², placing it in the carbon family (group 14).

Question 9

Previous-year question
Which of these is not a monomer for a high molecular mass silicone polymer? [NEET-UG, 2013]
  1. PhSiCl₃
  2. MeSiCl₃
  3. Me₂SiCl₂
  4. Me₃SiCl
Show answer
Answer: (D) Me₃SiCl
Explanation: Me₃SiCl has only one reactive Si–Cl bond, so it acts as a chain-terminator, not as a monomer for a long polymer.

Question 10

Previous-year question
The basic structural unit of silicates is: [NEET-UG, 2013]
  1. SiO₄²⁻
  2. SiO
  3. SiO₄⁴⁻
  4. SiO₃²⁻
Show answer
Answer: (C) SiO₄⁴⁻
Explanation: The fundamental building block of all silicates is the tetrahedral SiO₄⁴⁻ ion.

Question 11

Previous-year question
Which of the following oxide is amphoteric? [AIPMT Mains, 2010]
  1. CO₂
  2. SnO₂
  3. CaO
  4. SiO₂
Show answer
Answer: (B) SnO₂
Explanation: SnO₂ reacts with both acids and bases, so it is amphoteric; CO₂ and SiO₂ are acidic and CaO is basic.

Question 12

Previous-year question
Name the type of structure of silicate in which one oxygen atom of [SiO₄]⁴⁻ is shared: [AIPMT Pre, 2011]
  1. Linear chain silicate
  2. Sheet silicate
  3. Pyrosilicate
  4. Three dimensional
Show answer
Answer: (C) Pyrosilicate
Explanation: When two SiO₄ tetrahedra share one oxygen, the Si₂O₇⁶⁻ (pyrosilicate) unit is formed.

Question 13

Previous-year question
The straight chain polymer is formed by: [AIPMT, 2009]
  1. Hydrolysis of (CH₃)₂SiCl₂ followed by condensation polymerization
  2. Hydrolysis of (CH₃)₃SiCl followed by condensation polymerization
  3. Hydrolysis of CH₃SiCl₃ followed by condensation polymerization
  4. Hydrolysis of (CH₃)₄Si by addition polymerization
Show answer
Answer: (A) Hydrolysis of (CH₃)₂SiCl₂ followed by condensation polymerization
Explanation: (CH₃)₂SiCl₂ has two reactive Si–Cl bonds; hydrolysis and condensation give a linear (straight-chain) silicone.

Question 14

Previous-year question
Which one of the following anions is present in the chain structure of silicates? [AIPMT, 2007]
  1. SiO₄⁴⁻
  2. Si₂O₇⁶⁻
  3. (Si₂O₅²⁻)ₙ
  4. (SiO₃²⁻)ₙ
Show answer
Answer: (D) (SiO₃²⁻)ₙ
Explanation: Chain (pyroxene) silicates consist of repeating (SiO₃²⁻)ₙ units formed by sharing two oxygen atoms per tetrahedron.

Question 15

At room temperature carbon dioxide is a gas, while silicon dioxide is a high-melting solid. What is the main reason?
  1. CO₂ is ionic while SiO₂ is covalent
  2. Carbon atoms are larger than silicon atoms, so C=O bonds are weak
  3. Silicon cannot form strong pπ–pπ double bonds with oxygen, so each Si bonds to four O atoms in a three-dimensional network
  4. SiO₂ molecules are held together by strong hydrogen bonds
Show answer
Answer: (C) Silicon cannot form strong pπ–pπ double bonds with oxygen, so each Si bonds to four O atoms in a three-dimensional network
Explanation: Small carbon forms strong pπ–pπ double bonds with oxygen, giving separate O=C=O molecules held by weak forces, so CO₂ is a gas. Larger silicon cannot form such π bonds well, so each Si forms single bonds to four oxygens. This builds a giant covalent network, making SiO₂ a hard solid with a high melting point.

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