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What is the chemical symbol for silicon?
A. Sl
B. Si
C. Sc
D. Sn
Correct Answer Is Option = Si
Notes / Explanation
The chemical symbol for silicon is written as Si, and a knowledge of the symbols of the elements is one of the basic requirements of the study of chemistry. Every element is represented by a short symbol of one or two letters, and in the case of silicon the symbol Si is taken from the first two letters of its name, written with the first letter as a capital and the second as a small letter, in accordance with the standard practice. Silicon is a chemical element that has properties in between those of the metals and the non-metals, and it is one of the most abundant elements in the crust of the Earth, being second only to oxygen in its abundance there. Silicon is very rarely found on its own in nature, but is almost always found combined with other elements, particularly oxygen, forming compounds that make up a very large part of the rocks, sand and soil of the Earth. Ordinary sand is largely made up of a compound of silicon, and silicon compounds are the main constituents of a great many minerals and rocks, so that silicon is one of the most important elements making up the solid part of the Earth. Silicon has become enormously important in the modern world because of its special electrical properties, which make it the key material used in the manufacture of the tiny electronic components and chips that are at the heart of computers, mobile telephones and countless other electronic devices, so that silicon is often described as the foundation of modern electronics and information technology, and a famous centre of the technology industry takes its name from this element. Silicon is also used in the making of glass, which is produced from sand, and in a wide variety of other materials and products, including certain kinds of rubber-like and other useful substances. The importance of silicon in both the natural world, as a major component of the Earth's crust, and in modern technology, as the key material of electronics, makes it one of the most significant of all the elements. The study of the elements, their abundance, their properties and their uses is a central part of chemistry. For PPSC and other competitive examinations, the key points to remember are that the chemical symbol for silicon is Si, that silicon is one of the most abundant elements in the Earth's crust, usually found combined with oxygen in rocks, sand and soil, and that it is enormously important in modern technology as the key material used in the manufacture of electronic chips.
