silica

American  

[sil-i-kuh] / ˈsɪl ɪ kə /

noun

1. the dioxide form of silicon, SiO 2 , occurring especially as quartz sand, flint, and agate: used usually in the form of its prepared white powder chiefly in the manufacture of glass, water glass, ceramics, and abrasives.

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silica British  

/ ˈsɪlɪkə /

noun

1. the dioxide of silicon, occurring naturally as quartz, cristobalite, and tridymite. It is a refractory insoluble material used in the manufacture of glass, ceramics, and abrasives

2. short for silica glass

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silica Scientific  

/ sĭl′ĭ-kə /

1. A chemical compound that is the main constituent of most of the Earth's rocks. Silica occurs naturally in five crystalline forms (quartz, tridymite, cristobalite, coesite, and stishovite), in a cryptocrystalline form (chalcedony), and in an amorphous form (opal). It is also the main chemical compound in sand. Silica is used to make glass, concrete, and other materials. Also called silicon dioxide. Chemical formula: SiO ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of silica

1795–1805; < New Latin, derivative of Latin silex silex

Compare meaning

How does silica compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• silica vs. silicon

Example Sentences

First, the crude diterpene extract was separated into 19 fractions using silica gel chromatography.

From Science Daily

In samples from Murray Springs, Blackwater Draw, and Arlington Canyon, the team found quartz grains marked by distinctive fractures, some of which were filled with melted silica.

From Science Daily

To better understand how these crystals gather charge, she works with model aerosols made from very small, transparent silica spheres.

From Science Daily

Fossil horsetails, which once grew up to 30 meters tall, contain tiny silica particles called phytoliths.

From Science Daily

Pigments made of minerals including hematite and rocks like lapis lazuli are ground into nanoparticles and suspended in silica, resembling “melted glass,” as Magaloni describes.

From Los Angeles Times