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Silicon is a metallic element used to make computer chips and other electronic equipment. Although it is the second most abundant element in the world it was not discovered until 1824. It is usually found in nature as silicon dioxide and as a component in silicate minerals. The most common of these we know as quartz or sand. It is about 27% of the earth’s crust second only to oxygen at 47%. It is represented on the periodic table by the letters Si.
When first discovered there was some question about classifying this element. It conducted electricity better than non metals but not as good as other metals.
For use in electronics it must be purified to an extreme extent 99.9999999% pure.
In it’s pure form silicon has a shiny silver metallic appearance. Its atomic weight is 28.0855 and has 14 electrons, 14 protons and 14 neutrons in it’s most abundant isotope.