Minerals Containing Silicon And Oxygen Are Known As Silicates
Silicates |
Silicates are a class of minerals that are
composed of silicon and oxygen atoms. They are the most abundant minerals on
the Earth's crust, and they form the backbone of the geology of our planet. In
fact, silicates make up about 90% of the Earth's crust by weight. Silicates can
be found in a wide range of natural materials, from rocks and soil to sand and
even glass.
Silicates are formed from the reaction of
silicon with oxygen. Silicon is a chemical element that is the second most
abundant element in the Earth's crust after oxygen. It is a metalloid, meaning
that it has properties of both metals and nonmetals. Oxygen is a highly
reactive gas that is essential for life and is the most abundant element in the
Earth's crust.
The structure of silicates
is based on the tetrahedral arrangement of silicon and oxygen atoms. A
tetrahedron is a four-sided pyramid with a triangular base. In the case of
silicates, the base of the pyramid is formed by three oxygen atoms, and the
fourth corner is occupied by a silicon atom. This tetrahedral arrangement is
the basic building block of all silicates.
Silicates can be divided into two main groups: the
nesosilicates and the inosilicates. Nesosilicates have isolated tetrahedra that
are not connected to each other. The most common example of a nesosilicate is
olivine, which is a green mineral that is found in many types of rocks.
Inosilicates have tetrahedra that are connected to each other to form chains or
sheets. The most common example of an inosilicate is pyroxene, which is a
dark-colored mineral that is found in many types of rocks.
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Another important group of silicates is the phyllosilicates, which are sheet silicates. These
minerals have tetrahedra that are connected to each other to form sheets. The
most common example of a phyllosilicate is mica, which is a mineral that is
often used in electrical insulators and as a filler in paint.
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