silica
/'silikə/
Definition
- Noun:
- A hard, glassy mineral compound consisting of silicon and oxygen (SiO₂), occurring naturally in various forms such as quartz, cristobalite, and opal. It is a primary component of sand and many rocks.
Usage
- Silica is an uncountable noun used to refer to the compound silicon dioxide in general.
- It is commonly discussed in contexts of geology, chemistry, materials science, and industrial manufacturing.
Examples
- Noun:
- The beach sand is primarily composed of silica.
- Workers exposed to airborne silica dust may develop lung diseases.
- This type of glass has a very high silica content.
Advanced Usage
- "Fumed silica" or "pyrogenic silica": A very fine, powdered form of silica produced by burning silicon tetrachloride in a flame of hydrogen and oxygen. It is used as a thickening agent and reinforcing filler.
- Fumed silica is added to paints and coatings to prevent sagging.
- "Silica gel": A porous, granular form of silica used as a desiccant (drying agent).
- The small packet of silica gel in the shoebox absorbs moisture.
Variants and Related Words
- Silicic (adjective): Relating to or containing silica or silicon.
- Silicic acid is a general name for a family of chemical compounds containing silicon, oxygen, and hydrogen.
- Silicate (noun): A salt in which the anion contains both silicon and oxygen, especially one of the numerous insoluble often complex metal salts that constitute the majority of the earth's crust.
- Minerals like feldspar and mica are common silicates.
Synonyms
- Silicon dioxide: The systematic chemical name for silica.
- Quartz: A specific, very common crystalline form of silica.
Related Phrases and Compounds
- Crystalline silica: The forms of silica with a regular, repeating atomic structure (e.g., quartz, cristobalite). This is the form most hazardous to health when inhaled as dust.
- Occupational safety regulations limit exposure to crystalline silica.
- Amorphous silica: Silica without a regular crystalline structure (e.g., diatomaceous earth, silica gel). Generally considered less hazardous than crystalline forms.
- Diatomaceous earth, a type of amorphous silica, is used in filters.
Noun
-
a white or colorless vitreous insoluble solid (SiO2); various forms occur widely in the earth's crust as quartz or cristobalite or tridymite or lechatelierite
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