Given below are two statements :
Statement I : The electronegativity of group 14 elements from Si to Pb, gradually decreases.
Statement II : Group 14 contains non-metallic, metallic, as well as metalloid elements.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate from the options given below :

Solution

Chemistry ma’am · 3 steps

Below carbon, group 14 electronegativity barely moves, while the character changes from non-metal to metal.

1. Check Statement I. Going down a group, electronegativity usually falls. In group 14 it does not fall steadily after carbon. The filled 3d, 4d and 4f subshells shield the nucleus poorly, so the outer electrons stay strongly held.
2. Check Statement II. Read the character of each element down the group. Group 14 starts with a non-metal, passes through metalloids, and ends with metals.

   Element	Electronegativity (NCERT)	Nature
   C	2.5	non-metal
   Si	1.8	metalloid
   Ge	1.8	metalloid
   Sn	1.8	metal
   Pb	1.9	metal

3. So. From Si to Pb the values stay almost the same, and Pb is even slightly higher than Si, so Statement I is false. The group holds a non-metal, metalloids and metals, so Statement II is true. The answer is (a).

The idea to keep. Do not apply the textbook trend blindly. Poor shielding by d and f electrons keeps electronegativity nearly constant from Si to Pb, and the same thing happens to ionisation energy in group 13 and group 14.

Answer from the NTA final answer key. Solution by PrepWiser.