Home › NPCIL Trainee › Chemistry › Representative Metals, Metalloids, and Nonmetals › By mass, silicon makes up close to what fraction…
By mass, silicon makes up close to what fraction of the earth's crust, ranking second in abundance only to oxygen?
AAbout one-tenth
BAbout one-fourth
CAbout one-half
DAbout three-fourths
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. About one-fourth
1. Silicon-oxygen compounds (silicates) dominate the composition of rocks, soils, and clays.
2. The text states: "Silicon makes up nearly one-fourth of the mass of the earth's crust—second in abundance only to oxygen."
3. This is why silicate minerals form the bulk of common rocks and why silicon (via silica and silicates) is so geologically important.
4. So silicon's share of the crust's mass is close to one-fourth, not one-tenth, one-half, or three-fourths.
_Source: OpenStax Chemistry Ch 18 "Representative Metals, Metalloids, and Nonmetals", p.980 §18.3 Structure and General Properties of the Metalloids_
Related questions
A reaction in which the same element is simultaneously oxidized and reduced is called a:About half of the world's zinc production is used for what purpose?Under normal chemical conditions, why do nonmetals not form monatomic cations (positive ioBronze and solder are two well-known alloys of tin. What are their respective co-metals?An alloy of mercury with one or more other metals is called a(n):Solid carbon dioxide exists as discrete molecules held together by weak intermolecular forBoron's outer electron structure is 2s²2p¹, giving it one less valence electron than valenWhy do metalloids conduct electricity less well than true metals?