The electronegativity of silicon is approximately 1.90 on the Pauling scale.
Electronegativity is a measure of an atom’s ability to attract and hold onto electrons when it forms a chemical bond. Silicon, located in group 14 of the periodic table, exhibits a moderate electronegativity compared to other elements. This property is crucial in understanding how silicon interacts with other elements, particularly in compound formation.
Silicon’s electronegativity influences its behavior in various chemical reactions and plays a significant role in the properties of silicon-based materials, which are widely used in electronics and semiconductor industries. The relatively low electronegativity indicates that silicon can form covalent bonds, sharing electrons rather than attracting them completely, which is a characteristic of more electronegative elements.