Hmm
I think that's a controversial categorisation, probably others will too!

To over simplify: 
I was taught on a theoretical/semi-pragmatic level that to be a metal an
element has to be conductive (electrically/thermally) and be
ductile/malleable.
Also that metals lose electrons in chemical reaction non metals gain them,
meaning effectively that elemental metals have a max valency of 3. Certainly
at 4 things can go either way.
 
In real life things don't come so clear cut, some elements have some but not
all metallic properties, and there are allotropes and so on. Anyway you end
up with metalloids and similar for the not quite metal in-betweenies.
So far as silicon is concerned I think you might be stretching things to
call it a metal, grudgingly it might be metalloid, but it meets few of the
above criteria.



Regards
 
 
Mike
ü Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

-----Original Message-----
From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David D. Hillman
Sent: Friday, January 14, 2011 9:03 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [TN] NTC Friday Element Quiz - the Answer

Hi folks - Here is the Friday Element Quiz Answer:

The Question:

The first "pure" use of this element began in 1823. This element is 
sometimes classified as a metalloid. The density of this element increases 

when it is melted. The native oxide of this element prevents further 
oxidation of the element below 900C. What element is being described?

The Answer:
The element is Silicon (Si). Silicon is a metal that enables technology in 
a multitude of ways. Silicon is a deoxidizer in steel production, the 
basis for integrated circuits, glass, cement, protective coatings for high 
temperature applications, and families of polymers. Ge atoms are larger 
than Si atoms so an alloy of 85%Si and 15% Ge has an average interatomic 
spacing slightly larger than pure Si. When a pure layer of Si is deposited 
on the 85/15 alloy, the Si becomes strained resulting in a 70% faster 
signal speed parallel to the surface! Less than 1% of the world's 
production of Si is the pure form but that 1% (approximately 40K 
tons/year) is roughly equal in total dollar value to the other 99% of the 
metallic Si production.



Lots of good guesses (this was one of the tougher quizzes) - the winner of 
this week's quiz is Bev Christian of RIM. Clumpy have to sneak onto the 
A380 in Germany and head for Canada:

So far Clumpy has:

Week 1 Lamar Young, SCS Coatings
- accomplished nothing (drank lots of coffee)

Week 2 Bev Christian, RIM
- conducted REACH material testing

Week 3 Drew Meyer, Benchmark Electronics Inc.
- Solderability testing and mowed the lawn

Week 4 Ian Fox, Goodrich
- had an epic journey of travel

Week 4 Gary Ferrari, Garrick Global
- unknown

Week 5 Fredrick Miller, Astrolab
- unknown

Week 6 David Nelson, Raytheon
- Was a tackling dummy for Dallas Cowboys

Week 7 Graham Collins, L3 Communications
- Cleaned gutters and painted window trim

Week 8 Bill Noel, ITT Geospatial Systems Division
- unknown

Week 9 Steve Gregory of RD Circuits
- unknown

Week 10 David Bealer of Watchfire Signs
- descaled the in-line wash machine! Ouch!

Week 11 Dick Krug of Sparton Corporation
- assisted with AS9100 quality management systems requirements audit

Week 12 Steve Creswick of Balanced Enterprise Solutions
- Acted as Steve's "go fer" due to a broken leg!

Week 13 Gebhard Neifer, Delphi
- conducted a plasma pre treatment Taguchi DOE for a sealing process

Week 14 Bev Christian, RIM
- ????

Have a good weekend.

Dave Hillman
Rockwell Collins
[log in to unmask]

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