Like CO2, Silica or silicon dioxide (SiO2) is supposed to be linear. O=S=O
However, it is described as tetrahedral. Could I get a better explanation for this?
And also what kind of bonding exists between the atoms of SiO2.
Silica, is an oxide of silicon with the chemical formula SiO2,found in nature as quartz and in various living organisms.The molecular SiO2 has a linear structure like CO2 .SiO2 forms 3-dimensional network solids in which each silicon atom is covalently bonded in a tetrahedral manner to 4 oxygen atoms.
This is due SiO2 not being found as individual molecules very often. If you look at its structure when found in larger macro-sized materials such as sand or glass (photo attached) it can be described as tetrahedral. This is because the oxygens can bind to two separate silicon atoms, which leaves the silicon atoms to bond to four other atoms, creating a tetrahedral structure. In tetrahedral form, the silicon bonds are single bonds, whereas when the molecules are found individually they are double bonds. Meaning that SiO2, when found on its own as an individual molecule, would be linear.
Hi Akwasi, molecular SiO2 has a linear structure like CO2 but this is entirely man made by oxidizing SiO with Oxygen in an Argon matrix. Naturally occurring SiO2 is usually tetrahedral, although occurs in several polymorphic forms. There's a good article in Wiki about this if you search Silicon Dioxide.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Chemistry
- Nanotechnology