What is the significance of silicon chips in the computer?

Answer 1

Silicon is a metalloid which mean that it contains some properties of metals and nonmetals. Silicon does not conduct heat very well (property of a nonmetal), it is solid at room temp (property of most metals), and has a high melting point so when computers and other electronics are being heavily used they stay together.

Answer 2

Computer chips are essentially semiconductor devices, and as a result use silicon which has a number of properties that make it an excellent semiconductor. It is a tetravalent metalloid, like carbon, and can both share or donate the outer four electrons. It is less reactive than carbon, and maintains its semiconductor nature at higher temperatures than others like germanium. It is also very abundant in the earth's crust and is easily manufactured into large workable crystals. By doping regions of the silicon with elements like gallium or antimony you can alter the electrical characteristics, creating complex electrical structures.

Answer 3

It produced a series of breakthroughs in miniaturization, automated assembly, improved reliability, reduced power consumption, reducing costs, etc.

First facilitating the expansion of the third generation computer production (e.g. the minicomputer, integrated circuit based computers), then enabling the fourth generation computer production (e.g. the microcomputer, microprocessor based computers).

It created "Moore's Law" in which the density of components on an integrated circuit doubles roughly every 18 months!!!

This has made computers of ever increasing capability and ease of use to an ever increasing number of people for an ever increasing number of purposes (many of which had never before been considered for computerization).

Answer 4

That's what makes a computer (silicon computer chips)

it's called "silicon" computer chip not because it's silicon but because the semi-conductors (transisters) are planted in silicon (it's just the way they build them now to make them so small)

Every computer including the one you're on, Xbox, Printers, your cellphone, even calculators, etc... anything that is computerized has that chip in it.

Answer 5

They are the computer. Different ones perform different functions in the computer, but they are the computer.