As silicate tetrahedra link together in larger units, more oxygens are shared and the size of the negative charge per silicon decreases.

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As silicate tetrahedra link together, more oxygens are shared between them, causing the negative charge per silicon to decrease. This is because the shared oxygens are no longer solely associated with one silicon atom, and are therefore less available to attract additional electrons and maintain a high negative charge.

As Silicate Tetrahedra Link Together in Larger Units, More Oxygens