Silica gel is a granular, glass-like porous form of silicon dioxide made synthetically from sodium silicate. It is a naturally occurring mineral that is processed into purified beaded form. Being desiccant, it has an average pore size of 2.4 nanometers and has a strong affinity for water molecules. It is used as a desiccant to prevent some products from deteriorating against moisture with silica gel. Due to its high surface area it allows it to absorb water easily, making it a handy desiccant. After being saturated with water, the silica gel can be regenerated by heating it at 120°C for two hours.