On the periodic table, silicon is the group 14 element with the symbol Si. It has atomic number 14 and sits below carbon and above germanium in the carbon group.
Silicon is a metalloid, meaning its properties lie between those of typical metals and nonmetals. Its semiconductor behavior makes it central to integrated circuits, computer processors, solar cells, and many other electronic devices. Highly purified silicon is especially valuable because controlled electrical conductivity is essential in electronics.
Silicon is also abundant in Earth’s crust, though it is rarely found as free elemental silicon in nature. It occurs mainly in silicate minerals and silicon dioxide, including quartz and much of ordinary sand. Silicon dioxide is also a major component of glass.
Silicon and silicone are not the same thing. Silicon is the chemical element; silicones are synthetic polymers containing silicon, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen. The spelling difference prevents a common terminology error.