Final answer:
Silicon is less suitable than carbon for forming the basis of life due to weaker and less stable Si-Si and Si-H bonds, silicon dioxide's insolubility in water, and silicon's inability to readily form strong multiple bonds.
Step-by-step explanation:
While silicon is just below carbon in the periodic table and shares some characteristics such as forming four bonds and creating chains, it is not as suitable for forming the basis of living organisms due to several reasons. Silicon's bonds with other silicon atoms and hydrogen are weaker and less stable compared to carbon's bonds with itself and hydrogen. Additionally, the oxidation product of silicon, silicon dioxide (SiO₂), forms a three-dimensional covalent network that is insoluble in water, which would be difficult for organisms to excrete, unlike gaseous CO₂ which can be easily exhaled. Another key difference is that silicon cannot form strong ð bonds as second-period elements like carbon can, which is why molecules like CO₂ are volatile while SiO₂ forms a rigid structure. Furthermore, silicon cannot form multiple bonds as readily as carbon does, and when such bonds are formed, they tend to be weaker than corresponding carbon bonds.