How to Identify Three Physical Changes of Silicon
Silicon is a metalloid, an element with characteristics of both metals and non-metals. Like other metals, silicon is solid at room temperature and has a shiny appearance. In nature silicon exists as silicon oxide, a component of the Earth's crust. At 1414 degrees Celsius, just over 2577 degrees Fahrenheit, silicon melts into a liquid. Silicon boils at 3265 degrees Celsius, which is almost 6000 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Instructions
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Look at your sample of silicon. If your silicon sample is in a room-temperature environment under normal pressure conditions it will be in a solid state. Solid silicon is a hard, brittle and shiny substance in a crystalline form.
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Observe your silicon sample in a laboratory setting. If your silicon is superheated, past 1414 degrees Celsius, it will begin to melt into its liquid state. Liquid silicon, like other liquids, has a definite volume but indefinite shape. Liquids flow to take the shape of their container.
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Observe silicon heated over 3265 degrees Celsius to see it evaporate into a gas state. Silicon gas does not have a definite shape or volume, and can expand in any direction. According to NASA, you can view silicon gas in an infrared image of a supernova. Using infrared technology, silicon gas appears blue.
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Tips & Warnings
Silicon chips are useful in electronics because of their heat tolerance. Silicon alloys are used in engines, abrasives, concrete, glass and high-precision clocks.
Do not confuse silicon with silicone. Silicon refers to the element most commonly found in minerals. Silicone is the name for silicon polymers used in products such as plastics, lubricants and cosmetics.
References
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