krzemu

Krzemu is the genitive singular form of the Polish noun krzem, which denotes silicon, the chemical element with symbol Si and atomic number 14. In Polish grammar, krzem is masculine and inanimate; its genitive singular form is krzemu, used in constructions that require the genitive case, such as expressions of material, quantity, or after certain prepositions (for example bez krzemu, z krzemu).

Krzem is the element silicon, a metalloid that forms a large part of the Earth's crust as silicon dioxide (SiO2) and various silicate minerals. It is essential in modern technology because of its semiconducting properties, enabling electronics, integrated circuits, and solar cells. Silicon is the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust by mass, after oxygen, comprising about a quarter to a third of crustal material.

The element was identified in the early 19th century by Jöns Jakob Berzelius, and its name derives from the Latin silex, silicis meaning flint. In Polish scientific usage, krzem is the standard term for the element, while krzemu serves as the required genitive form in grammar and in phrases describing quantities, materials, or attributes.