Computer question from JKP Constable exam, 2024 by JKSSB
Which of the following natural element is the primary element in computer chips?
Last updated Jun 23, 2026
Correct Answer:
Option A —
Silicon
Silicon is a chemical element that is classified as a semiconductor. This means it can conduct electricity under some conditions but not others, which makes it the ideal material for controlling electrical signals in microchips.
Why Silicon?
Abundance: It is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust (found in common sand).
Properties: It can be chemically "doped" to change its electrical behavior, allowing engineers to create tiny switches called transistors.
Stability: It can withstand high temperatures, which is necessary since computers generate heat while processing data.
Process of Creating a Chip
Extraction: Silicon is extracted from silica sand.
Purification: It is refined into a nearly 100% pure crystal.
Ingot Slicing: The pure silicon is shaped into a long cylinder (ingot) and sliced into thin circular layers called wafers.
Circuit Printing: Using a process called photolithography, billions of microscopic circuits are etched onto the wafer.
Dicing: The wafer is cut into individual squares, which become the "chips" inside your phone or laptop.
Answer verified by Quintessence Classes faculty — Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
