A student is studying asbestos, a mineral that causes cancer in humans. One of the components of asbestos is silicon, a somewhat reactive element, that is the second most abundant element found in the Earth’s crust. Which characteristic of silicon is most closely related to its chemical reactivity?

The atomic mass of silicon, which is 28.085 amu


The density of silicon, which is 2.33 g/cm3


The 4 valence electrons in each atom of silicon


The 14 protons in each atom of silico