Why might we think that silicon would be an obvious alternative to carbon as a building block for biological molecules?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Silicon is located in the same group as carbon on the periodic table, meaning it has a similar electronic structure and forms a maximum of four covalent bonds. This should allow it to form complex molecules like carbon. However, despite similarities, silicon has a larger atomic radius than carbon, which creates challenges for forming stable and diverse biological molecules. Furthermore, while silicon is abundant on Earth, it is not as prevalent as carbon, which is a critical element of life as we know it. Therefore, even though silicon shares some properties with carbon, it is not an obvious alternative for building biological molecules.

Why Might We Think That Silicon Would Be an Obvious