Where Does Silicon Come From?
The element silicon is created through a process where carbon and sand are heated to temperatures close to 3,992 degrees Fahrenheit. Silicon is also very abundant in the Earth’s crust and is the seventh most plentiful element in the universe. Silicon was first discovered by a Swedish chemist named Jons Jacob Berzelius in 1894.
The element silicon is a semi-metal solid at room temperature. It has a boiling point of 5,909 degrees Fahrenheit, a melting point of 2,577 degrees Fahrenheit and a density of 2.3296 grams per cubic centimeter. Silicon has an atomic weight of 28.855 and is assigned the atomic number 14, group number 15 and period number 3 on the period table of elements. Many useful compounds are formed by silicon and used to manufacture medical implants, transistors, microchips, lubricants, glass and many other products used by people in every day life.
