unpaired electrons

[anigeo]

my textbook says that silicon(Si) has 4 unpaired electrons whereas i think that there are no unpaired electrons in Si as both the p electrons that are present are already paired.
could u tell me if i am wrong somewhere?

[Borek]

In what context is it said? In the ground state I would expect s2p2, but perhaps they aim at the hybridized sp3 (not that it physically exists).

[anigeo]

In what context is it said? In the ground state I would expect s2p2, but perhaps they aim at the hybridized sp3 (not that it physically exists).

please tell me how many unpaired electrons does it have?i have already given my suppositions.

[256bits]

silicon - 4 valence electrons

Shells would have 1 electron in each before pairing
I would think your testbook is of the opinion silicon has arrangement
[Ne] s1 p1 p1 p1

[anigeo]

silicon - 4 valence electrons

Shells would have 1 electron in each before pairing
I would think your testbook is of the opinion silicon has arrangement
[Ne] s1 p1 p1 p1

thanx.you really gave me a thousand bits answer.just joking.
actually i got that this will result in half filled orbitals which is more stable due to symmetricity.