What can react with silicon?

Compounds of silicon and hydrogen, known as silanes, react explosively with oxygen and react with water, forming silicon dioxide and water and silicon dioxide and hydrogen gas respectively. Silicon accounts for 28 percent of the earth's crust but it does not appear naturally in its elemental form. read more

Reaction of silicon with water. The surface of lumps of silicon is protected by a very thin layer of silicon dioxide, SiO 2. This renders silicon more or less inert to water and even steam. Reaction of silicon with the halogens. Silicon reacts vigorously with all the halogens to form silicon tetrahalides. read more

Silicon, like carbon, is relatively inactive at ordinary temperatures; but when heated it reacts vigorously with the halogens (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine) to form halides and with certain metals to form silicides. read more