What is Silicon?

Silicon in the periodic table

Silicon is a chemical element that is placed in group 14 in the periodic table with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. A hard, brittle crystalline silicon forms a blue-grey metallic luster and uses in the semiconductor.

Silicon in the Periodic Table

It is a member carbon family in the periodic table that lies below carbon and above germanium. Silicon is a tetravalent metalloid that uses in traditional silicate-based soda-lime glass and many other special types of glasses.

Properties

Silicon formed a greyish crystal that looks like a metal but it is not a metal. It could be found in our environment attached to other elements mostly with oxygen. It is a member of group 14 with four valence electrons.

• Element Symbol: Si
• Atomic Number: 14
• Atomic Weight: 28.0855
• State at 20°C: Solid
• Appearance: Hard gray solid that contains a silver metallic luster
• Melting point: 1414 °C
• Boiling point: 3565 °C
• Density (g/cm3): 2.33 g/cm3 (in solid near room temperature); 2.57 g/cm3 (in liquid at the melting point)
• Crystal Structure: face-centered diamond cubic
• Oxidation States: 4, 3, 2, 1, -1, -2, -3, -4
• CAS number: 7440–21–3
• Chem Spider ID: 4574465

Silicon is a metalloid that has properties of both metals and nonmetals. Like other metalloids, it contains various forms or allotropes. Amorphous silicon is usually seen as a gray powder but the crystalline form is a gray solid with a metallic appearance.

Facts about silicon

• Silicon is the eighth most common element in the universe by mass but very rarely obtain as the pure element in the Earth’s crust.
• The credit for silicon discovery was given to Swedish chemist Jöns Jakob Berzelius but the name was first proposed by Sir Humphry Davy in 1808. The name derives from the Latin words silex or silicis means “flint”.
• It is the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust after oxygen.
• It widely occurs in planets as a form of silicon dioxide (silica) or silicates. More than 90% of our Earth’s crust is formed by silicate minerals.
• Natural silicon consists of three stable isotopes with atomic masses 28, 29, and 30. At least twenty radioisotopes are also known for this element.
• It can be found just underneath carbon in the third row of the periodic table.
• It is available at extremely high purity or ultra pure state. Electrolysis of molten silica (silicon dioxide) or other silicon compounds can be used to obtain the element at >99.9% purity.
• A small portion of ultrapure silicon is used in semiconductors that are essential for transistors and integrated circuit chips. These are used in modern technology for making smartphones and other computer devices.
• It is an essential element in biology and a trace amount of Si is required for most animals but some sea sponges and microorganisms structures are made of silica. It is also deposited in many plant tissues.
• Humans need silicon for healthy skin, hair, nails, and bones. It synthesizes the proteins collagen and elastin.
• Silicon is non-toxic in nature but some silicates such as asbestos have carcinogenic properties. Some workers who mine or cut stones are exposed to siliceous dust. They may develop a serious lung disease called silicosis.

Uses of Silicon

• Silicon is a major constituent of the ceramics, glass, and bricks industries.
• Silicon semiconductors are used for making transistors. These are widely used in computer chips and solar cells.
• It is an important component of Portland cement.
• It is an important component in the production of fire bricks.
• Several waterproofing systems contain silicones for fixing ion exchange resins.
• It is used for making ferrosilicon — an alloy that is widely used in the steel industry.

References

Silicon — Element information, properties and uses — rsc

Silicon — Element, Properties, Facts, Uses — priyamstudycentre

Silicon — Wikipedia

Silicon | Si (Element) — PubChem