Why silicon doesnt have a large no of compounds yet carbon and silicon

1.	Why silicon doesnt have a large no of compounds yet carbon and silicon both are tetravalent?
Answer» The carbon’s four valence electrons can be shared by other atoms (that have electrons to share), thus forming what we call covalent bonds (shared electrons bonds). The carbon atom also has the ability to form a bond with other carbon atoms to create covalent bonds forming long strings of carbon atoms, bonded to each other like links in a chain.Silicon (Si), another element in group 14 of the periodic table, also has four valence electrons and can make large molecules called silicones. But due to its higher atomic number (in comparison to Carbon), its atoms are too large to fit together into as great a variety of molecules as carbon atoms can.

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