Question

The silicate tetrahedron consists of one _________ atom at the center and ________ atoms at the corners?

1) O, 4 Si
2) O, 2 Si and 2 Al
3) Si, 4 O
4) Si, 2 O and 2 Al

Answer 1

A silicate tetrahedron is composed of one silicon atom at the center and four oxygen atoms at the corners, forming the basic building block of silicate minerals. The correct option is 3.

Step-by-step explanation:

The silicate tetrahedron consists of one silicon (Si) atom at the center and four oxygen (O) atoms at the corners, making the correct answer (3) Si, 4 O. This forms the basic building block of silicate minerals, known for its pyramid-like shape—a tetrahedron.

The silicon atom is in the center, sp³-hybridized, and each of the four oxygen atoms occupies a corner of the tetrahedron. These silicon-oxygen tetrahedra can exist as discrete units or can be linked together by shared oxygen atoms.