Learning objectives

As the periodic table shows, Group  is the first group having the full range of elements from a non-metal (C) to two semimetals (Si and Ge) to two metals (Sn and Pb).   This means that there is considerable variation in the acid-base properties of the oxides. 

1	2
							1H										2He
3 Li	4 Be											5 B	6 C	7 N	8 O	9 F	10 Ne
11 Na	12 Mg											13 Al	14 Si	15 P	16 S	17 Cl	18 Ar
19 K	20 Ca	21 Sc	22 Ti	23 V	24 Cr	25 Mn	26 Fe	27 Co	28 Ni	29 Cu	30 Zn	31 Ga	32 Ge	33 As	34 Se	35 Br	36 Kr
37 Rb	38 Sr	39 Y	40 Zr	41 Nb	42 Mo	43 Tc	44 Ru	45 Rh	46 Pd	47 Ag	48 Cd	49 In	50 Sn	51 Sb	52 Te	53 I	54 Xe
55 Cs	56 Ba	71 Lu	72 Hf	73 Ta	74 W	75 Re	76 Os	77 Ir	78 Pt	79 Au	80 Hg	81 Tl	82 Pb	83 Bi	84 Po	85 At

.

The major oxidation states for most of these elements are +4, +2 and 0, but the redox behaviour also shows considerable variation going down the group and one of these elements (C) has important negative oxidation states.

The purpose of this module is to expose the trends in these both acid-base and redox properties.  On completion of the module, for Group elements, you should be able, on the basis of the given information
 

• to identify the acid-base properties of the oxides/hydroxides
   
• to identify which of the chlorides of these elements cannot be recovered from the aqueous solution due to reacting with water
   
• to identify the nature of the aqueous species (if any) in the various oxidation states of these elements
   
• to identify the relative strengths of the various oxidation states as reductants or oxidants
   
• to identify whether an element in a particular oxidation state will react with a common reductant (iodide ion) or a common oxidant (permanganate ion)