* Electronic Configuration: Silicon has an atomic number of 14, meaning it has 14 electrons. Its electronic configuration is: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p².

* Unpaired Electrons: Notice that the 3p subshell has two electrons in it. Since the 3p subshell can hold up to 6 electrons, there are two unpaired electrons in the 3p orbital.

* Paramagnetism: Paramagnetic materials are attracted to magnetic fields due to the presence of unpaired electrons. These unpaired electrons have a net magnetic moment, which aligns with an external magnetic field.

In summary, the presence of unpaired electrons in a lone silicon atom makes it paramagnetic.