Silicon (symbol Si, atomic number 14) is the metalloid that underpins the entire semiconductor industry and most of the sand on Earth. It is classified as a metalloid and sits in group 14, period 3 of the periodic table.
Overview
Silicon is the chemical element with atomic number 14 and the symbol Si. With a standard atomic weight of 28.085, it is a metalloid. In the periodic table it occupies group 14 and period 3, and under standard conditions it is normally a solid. Silicon is the metalloid that underpins the entire semiconductor industry and most of the sand on Earth.
Atomic structure
An atom of Silicon has 14 protons in its nucleus and, when neutral, 14 electrons arranged in the configuration [Ne] 3s2 3p2. Its standard atomic weight of 28.085 reflects the natural mix of its stable isotopes.
Discovery and place in the table
Silicon was discovered in 1854 by Jöns Jacob Berzelius. It follows Aluminium (Al) and precedes Phosphorus (P) in order of atomic number.
| Atomic number | 14 |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Si |
| Atomic mass | 28.085 |
| Category | Metalloid |
| Group | 14 |
| Period | 3 |
| Electron configuration | [Ne] 3s2 3p2 |
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Discovered | 1854 (Jöns Jacob Berzelius) |