What are some interesting facts about silicon?

Silicon is the seventh most abundant element in the universe and is classified as a metalloid. Its atomic symbol is Si, and its atomic number is 14. Silicon is a solid at room temperature.

Silicon is the second most common element on Earth. Silicon is the primary component of sand, and because it is so common, it is found in many products that people use every day. Silicon is used in glass, oven mitts and breast implants. Since silicon can be made into either an electrical conductor or an insulator, it is used in computer chips and solar energy panels. Silicon was discovered in 1824 by a Swedish chemist named Jöns Jacob Berzelius.