what is silicates in simple terms

1 answer

Silicates are a group of minerals made up of silicon and oxygen, which are the two most abundant elements in the Earth's crust. In simple terms, you can think of silicates as compounds that contain silicon atoms bonded with oxygen atoms, often in complex structures. They make up a large part of rocks and minerals, including common ones like quartz and feldspar. Silicates are important in geology, as they help form the Earth's crust and are involved in many geological processes.