Carbon, a member of group 14, forms a large number of carbon compounds estimated to be about three million. Why is this property not exhibited by other elements of this group? Explain.

In group 14, carbon atom has smallest size. This enables the nucleus to hold on to the shared pairs of electrons strongly but the bonds formed by elements having larger atoms of this group are much weaker.

Moreover, carbon also has the unique ability to form bonds with other atoms giving rise to larger molecules by the property of catenation.