Question

The common basic structural unit in silicates and silica is

• A. $S{i}_2{O}_6^{4-}$
• B. $Si{O}_3^{2-}$
• C. $Si{O}_4^{4-}$
• D. $S{i}_2{O}_7^{6-}$

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Silica $(Si{O}_2)$ and silicates contain a common structural unit ${\left(Si{O}_4\right)}^{4-}$ in which each Si is surrounded tetrahedrally by four oxygen atoms.