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Silicon (Si) is the 14th element on the periodic table.[2] Silicon is the seventh most abundant element in the universe, and it is very common on Earth. In the Earth's crust, silicon is the second most abundant element. The most common compound of silicon is silicon dioxide, or SiO2. This compound is the most abundant compound in the Earth's crust, and it takes the form of ordinary sand, quartz, rock crystal, amethyst, agate, flint, jasper, and opal. Silicon is produced by heating silicon dioxide with carbon at temperatures approaching 2200°C.[2]
Silicon is used extensively in electronics because of it's semiconducting properties. As well, silicon is used extensively in the energy sector as the primary component of solar panels and photovoltaic cells. Silicon is used primarily in its solid form. It is also combined frequently with other elements to produce a number of useful products.
Some properties of silicon include:[3]
| Atomic weight | 28.0855 |
| Density (at 0oC) | 2.3296 g/cm3 |
| Boiling point | 3538 K |
| Melting point | 1687 K |
The extraction of silicon is extremely energy intensive; it requires 1000-1500 megajoules of primary energy per kilogram of high-grade silicon extracted and processed.[4]
Uses
Since silicon has so many different forms that it appears in, it is very useful. When in the form of sand or clay, silicon can be used to make brick and other building materials. As a silicate, silicon is used for making enamels and pottery. Silica, another form of silicon, is the main ingredient in glass and can also be used in mechanical devices.[5]
Extremely pure silicon is useful as a semiconductor when doped with boron, gallium, phosphorus, or arsenic. This doped material is then used in diodes, transistors, and rectifiers. As well, this doped semiconducting material is the main component of photovoltaic cells, the cells that solar panels are made out of. The transistors created with this material can be used in microprocessor chips in computers and other advanced technologies.[5]
Additionally, silicon is an important ingredient in steel and silicon carbide is an extremely important abrasive.[5]
References
- ↑ Made with information from the Royal Society of Chemistry, Available: http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/14/silicon
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jefferson Lab. (August 25, 2015). Silicon [Online]. Available: http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele014.html
- ↑ Royal Society of Chemistry. (August 25, 2015). Silicon [Online]. Available: http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/14/silicon
- ↑ UNEP. (August 31, 2015). Environmental Risks and Challenges of Anthropogenic Metals Flows and Cycles [Online]. Available: https://d396qusza40orc.cloudfront.net/metals/3_Environmental_Challenges_Metals-Full%20Report_36dpi_130923.pdf#96
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Los Alamos National Laboratory. (August 25, 2015). Silicon [Online]. Available: http://periodic.lanl.gov/14.shtml