Article
Article
Silicon
Article By:
Plueddemann, Edwin P. Dow Corning Corporation, Midland, Michigan.
Last reviewed:January 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.623100
A chemical element, Si, atomic number 14, and atomic weight 28.086. Silicon is the most abundant electropositive element in the Earth's crust. The element is a metalloid with a decided metallic luster; it is quite brittle. It has a specific gravity of 2.42 at 20°C (68°F), melts at 1420°C (2588°F), and boils at 3280°C (5936°F). The element is usually tetravalent in its compounds, although sometimes divalent, and is decidedly electropositive in its chemical behavior. In addition, pentacoordinate and hexacoordinate compounds of silicon are known. See also: Metalloid; Periodic table
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