Silicon is a chemical element used to make microchips, processors and solar cells, which is where Silicon Valley gets its name. It isn't the soft material used for baking moulds, sealants and phone cases: that's silicone, with an e at the end.
silicon: will you get the meaning right?
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silicon + chip/wafer/solar cell; made of/from + silicon; Silicon Valley; silicone + baking mould/sealant/phone case (not silicon)
- Almost every computer chip is made of silicon, so it's one of the most important materials in electronics.
- My cousin moved to Silicon Valley last year to work for a small tech start-up.
- The solar panels on our roof use silicon cells to turn sunlight into electricity.
What changed
First versionI bought some silicon moulds for baking muffins.
RevisionI bought some silicone moulds for baking muffins.
Silicon and silicone differ by one letter, so it's easy to leave off the e. But silicon moulds would be moulds made of silicon, a hard, brittle material. Flexible baking moulds, spatulas and phone cases are made of silicone.
The words also sound different. Silicon ends in a short, weak sound, /ˈsɪlɪkən/, while silicone ends like cone, /ˈsɪlɪkəʊn/. Silicon is more common in texts about technology: the silicon chip industry. Silicone belongs to everyday life and medicine: silicone sealant for the bathroom.
Your turn
The processor in this laptop is built on a thin slice of ___.
Show the answer
silicon — A processor is built on a thin slice of silicon, so the answer is silicon. Silicone is a soft, rubbery material for moulds and phone cases, and you can't build a processor on it.
Write about a gadget you use every day. Name it, say what you need it for and mention the silicon chip inside.
I use my phone every day to check train times, and it all works thanks to a tiny silicon chip inside.
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