Question

What is the valency of silicon with atomic number 14?

Answer 1

Valency

• The combining capacity or power of an atom is known as its valency.
• The number of bonds that an atom can form as part of a compound is expressed by the valency of the element.
• Given the atomic number of silicon as 14.
• The electronic configuration of the silicon is $1{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{p}}^{6}3{\mathrm{s}}^{2}3{\mathrm{p}}^2$.
• The outermost shell $3{\mathrm{s}}^{2}3{\mathrm{p}}^2$ contains 4 electrons in silicon, its valency is 4.

Hence valency of silicon is 4.