Among other things, silanes are used as water repellents and sealants. Silanes have a variety of industrial and medical uses. (see Figure 12) Figure 12: The organosilane, dichlorodimethylsilane Silanes also have a tendency to swap out there hydrogens for other elements and become organosilanes. Silanes are particularly prone to decomposition via oxygen. In fact, silanes are rather prone to decomposition. Hexasilane is the largest possible silane because Si-Si bonds are not particularly strong. (see Figure 11) Figure 11: The largest silane, hexasilane The largest silane has a maximum of six silicon atoms. But there is a very quick end to this trend. Like hydrocarbons, silanes progressively grow in size as additional silicon atoms are added. But silicon does not play an integral role in our day to day biology. With the same valence configuration, and thus the same chemical versatility, silicon could conceivably play a role of similar organic importance. Carbon-hydrogen compounds form the backbone of the living world with seemingly endless chains of hydrocarbons. Silicon is an integral component in minerals, just as Carbon is an essential component of organic compounds.

The tetrahedral SiO 4 4 - complex (see Figure 3), the core unit of silicates, can bind together in a variety of ways, creating a wide array of minerals. Figure 3: This is a representation of the tetrahedral silica complex The empirical form of silica is SiO 2 because, with respect to the net average of the silicate, each silicon atom has two oxygen atoms. This leads to silicates linking together in -Si-O-Si-O- networks called silicates.

silicon dioxide, takes on this molecular form, instead of carbon dioxide's characteristic shape, because silicon's 3p orbitals make it more energetically favorable to create four single bonds with each oxygen rather than make two double bonds with each oxygen atom. Figure 2: The net charge of silica is minus 4 Silica is composed of one silicon atom with four single bonds to four oxygen molecules (Figure 2). Silica is not a silicon atom with two double bonds to two oxygen atoms. Silica is the one stable oxide of silicon, and has the empirical formula SiO 2. Silicon is most commonly found in silicate compounds. Found in everything from spaceships to synthetic body parts, silicon can be found all around us, and sometimes even in us. It's stable tetrahedral configuration makes it incredibly versatile and is used in various way in our every day lives. Silicon, the second most abundant element on earth, is an essential part of the mineral world.

Silica compound