Indeed, carbon and silicon share many characteristics. Each has a
so-called valence
of four–meaning that individual atoms make four bonds with other elements in forming chemical compounds. Each element bonds to oxygen. Each forms long chains, called polymers, in which it alternates with oxygen.
What does carbon and silicon have in common?
Both carbon and silicon commonly
form compounds
, easily sharing electrons with other elements. Carbon will make multiple bonds with other carbon molecules by forming single, double and triple covalent bonds. … Carbon and silicon are often combined, with carbon serving as silicon's backbone.
Si has four valence electrons, the same number as carbon. Therefore, silicon would
be able to form long chains, including branches
, that could act as skeletons for organic molecules. It would clearly do this much better than neon (with no valence electrons) or aluminum (with three valence electrons).
Why is silicon-based life possible?
Why do people think that silicon-based life may be possible? The reason is simple. Silicon is below carbon on the periodic table and
silicon can also make four bonds
. So, it stands to reason, you could just as easily make complicated molecules with silicon.
Why is silicon a good substitute for carbon?
For example, the element silicon (Si)
has chemical properties similar to those of carbon
and thus might be suitable in place of carbon as a basis for some living organisms. … Specifically, carbon, with its 4 unpaired outer electrons, can form tight chemical bonds by sharing those electrons with other elements.
What is difference between carbon and silicon?
The key difference between silicon and carbon is that
the carbon is a nonmetal whereas the silicon is a metalloid
. Carbon and silicon, both are in the same group (group 14) of the periodic table. Hence, they have four electrons in the outer energy level.
What if humans were silicon based?
Carbon readily bonds with oxygen, forming carbon dioxide (CO2), a small gaseous molecule that we humans exhale. Whereas silicon forms silicon dioxide (SiO2) with oxygen, which is a gigantic molecule commonly known as sand. Imagine, if we were silicon-based living organisms, we would probably be
exhaling sand
.
What do carbon silicon and germanium have in common?
Since they are in the same column, we know that silicon and germanium have the
same number of electrons in their outer or valence shell
. Germanium atoms have one more shell than silicon atoms, but what makes for the interesting semiconductor properties is the fact that both have four electrons in the valence shell.
Can there be silicon based life?
So, the answer, at least for now, is no – although silicon can sometimes be used biologically as a sort of structural support (and there are some examples claiming silicon as an essential trace element) for carbon-based life –
silicon-based life itself does not exist
, as far as we know, because of the chemical and …
Why does Killy hate silicon life?
While successful in eradicating the cult,
the Administration failed to fully eliminate
all Silicon Life due the City's growth interfering with its ability to control the Safeguards. … This goal directly opposes Killy's and, as a result, the Silicon Life hate and fear him, attacking him at any opportunity.
Is there life that is not carbon based?
Non-carbon-based biochemistries. On Earth, all known living things have a carbon-based structure and system. … He considered that there was only
a remote possibility
that non-carbon life forms could exist with genetic information systems capable of self-replication and the ability to evolve and adapt.
Why is life based on carbon?
Life on Earth is based on carbon, likely
because each carbon atom can form bonds with up to four other atoms simultaneously
. This quality makes carbon well-suited to form the long chains of molecules that serve as the basis for life as we know it, such as proteins and DNA.
Why does silicone not form as many compounds as carbon?
Silicon cannot be an effective substitute for Carbon.
Silicon oxidizes to the solid Silica, thus this would post waste disposal problems for life forms. Silicon does not form many compounds
that have handedness
. In other words, it cannot process or store energy in a stable process like Carbon based enzymes can.
What is the life of carbon?
Carbon-14 has a
half-life of 5,730 ± 40 years
—i.e., half the amount of the radioisotope present at any given time will undergo spontaneous disintegration during the succeeding 5,730 years.
Can Silicon bond with itself?
Silicon can form stable covalent bonds with the same crucial elemental building blocks as carbon.
It can covalently bind itself
, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus, and the halogens, as well as semi-metals like germanium.
