Silicon vs. Silica
Main DifferenceThe main difference between Silicon and Silica is that Silicon is a piece of the earth, whereas Silica is a mixture of Silicon.

Difference Between Silicon and Silica
Silicon vs. Silica
Silicon is a part of the earth, whereas silica is part of Silicon.
Silicon vs. Silica
Silicon produces electricity; on the other hand, silica produces glass.
Silicon vs. Silica
Silicon is a periodic table part; conversely, silica is the part of Silicon.
Silicon vs. Silica
Silicon is an element; on the flip side, silica is a compound or sub-part of Silicon.
Silicon vs. Silica
Silicon periodic number is 14, but Silica has no periodic number.
Silicon vs. Silica
Silicon comes in 18th c while silica came in 1993.
Silicon vs. Silica
Silicon forms 10% earth crust, whereas silica forms more than 27% earth crust.
Silicon vs. Silica
Silicon cannot appear individually in nature, while silica can comes like a real compound.
Siliconnoun
A nonmetallic element (symbol Si) with an atomic number of 14 and atomic weight of 28.0855.
Silicanoun
Silicon dioxide.
Siliconnoun
A single atom of this element.
Silicanoun
Any of the silica group of the silicate minerals.
Siliconnoun
(slang) computing
Silicanoun
a white or colorless vitreous insoluble solid (SiO2); various forms occur widely in the earth's crust as quartz or cristobalite or tridymite or lechartelierite
Siliconnoun
(slang) computer processor
Siliconnoun
a tetravalent nonmetallic element; next to oxygen it is the most abundant element in the earth's crust; occurs in clay and feldspar and granite and quartz and sand; used as a semiconductor in transistors
Comparison Chart
Silicon | Silica |
Silicon is a chemical item that naturally found on earth. | Silica is a chief element of sand. |
Position | |
P block | P block |
Melting Point | |
14140c | 17130c |
Boiling Point | |
3538K | 3110F |
Silicon vs. Silica
Silicon shows the properties of metal and non-metal. Silica produces glass and water filtration. Silicon produces electricity. Silica built silicon atoms and not produces electricity. The silicon structure is very soft, while the silica structure is very hard. Silicon bounds the oxygen and sometimes found in real form, whereas silica is found in several mineral substances.
Silicon plays an important role in forming bricks and concrete. Silica is known as a complicated shape of materials. Silicon is the second most required element to form earth crust. Silica has a transparent compact shape. It also looks like a powder and helps to form steels, while silicon has an amorphous and a crystalline allotrope.
Real silica has no color and has the highest melting point, and silicon is also widely used in the formation of computers and electronic tools. On the other hand, silica is a compact three-dimensional network; silica is helpful in microelectronic structure, food, and medicines.
What is Silicon?
Silicon firstly introduced in 18th c, and this age also called a digital age or information age. Silicon is found in minerals such as quartz and granite. Silicon’s three different strong isotopes are; 28 Si: 29 Si: and 30 Si. Silicon also categories as metal and metalloid; therefore, it shows the properties of metal and non-metal.
The appearance of silicon is crystalline and reflective. The conventional weight of silicon is 28.085. The period of silicon is 3, and electron configuration is [Ne] 3s2, 3p2. It has electrons per sell 2, 8, 4, and is represented by the symbol of ‘si.’ It has a diamond shape and 2.329 0g/cm 3 density. It has a fusion heat or enthalpy of 50.21 KJ/mol.
Silicon’s molar heat capacity is 19.789j. Silicon has 14 protons, electrons, and neutrons. To make silicon dioxide, it reacts with oxygen. Without dividing atoms, you cannot categorize silicon into simple materials. To make minerals, it will react with oxygen.
By reduction with carbon, you can change silica into silicon. In P orbitals, it will offer more place for four new electrons. When we use it in polymer’s combination, it will reach as silicons. A chip as a section of silicon has the size of a postage stamp.
What is Silica?
Silica is a silicon dioxide and is a single element. It comes in the result of oxygen and silicon’s reaction. It has a little structure and supports oxygen increasing. Silica plays a key role in granite, feldspar, and mica. You can easily change it into the silica Gel. In silicates shape, we used it in ceramics.
In its melting condition, it comes in microchips form. It is a colorless and white compound of crystalline. Silica is highly used in stand stones, cement, and rocks. Mineral shapes of silica can easily exist at the highest temperature and pressure. Sio2 is its chemical formula. The consistent shape of silica in a normal situation is alpha quartz.
At 573 degrees, we can change quartz into beta quartz. Through a little heat and change in pressure, you can easily change its dioxide shape from one to another. You can also found it in several plants as well. At its highest melting point, it is used to make sand. Its pyrogenic silica called Fumed silica. Its molar mass 60g/mol.
Through mining quartz, you can easily get silica. Its crystalline structure indicated its four oxygen atoms linked with a single covalent bond.
ConclusionSilicon and Silica carry the Silicon atoms. But Silica is different from Silicon due to its structures and properties.