Which one among the following elements has the highest catenation

Which one among the following elements has the highest catenation property?

Silicon

Carbon

Nitrogen

Oxygen

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UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2024

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Catenation is the ability of an element to form bonds with atoms of the same element. Carbon has the strongest tendency for catenation among all elements. This property allows carbon atoms to link together to form long chains, branched structures, and rings, forming the backbone of the vast number of organic compounds.

Carbon exhibits the highest catenation property among elements, forming diverse organic structures.

Silicon also shows catenation, forming silanes (Si-Si bonds), but the Si-Si bond is weaker than the C-C bond, limiting the length and stability of silicon chains compared to carbon chains. Nitrogen can form chains (e.g., in hydrazine, N₂H₄), but N-N bonds are relatively weak. Oxygen primarily forms chains of two atoms (O-O bond in peroxides), and longer chains are generally unstable. The high strength of the C-C bond and carbon’s ability to form multiple bonds (single, double, triple) contribute to its exceptional catenation ability.

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