
Tellurium element (Te) is in group 16 and period 5 of a periodic table. Tellurium is in the p-block and it is classified as a metalloid on the periodic table.
There is a lot more information related to tellurium which is mentioned in the Information Table given below.
So let’s dive right into it!
Table of contents
- Tellurium element (Information Table)
- Tellurium element in Periodic table
- Facts about Tellurium
- Properties of Tellurium
- Uses of Tellurium
Tellurium Element (Information Table)
The important data related to tellurium element is given in the table below.
Appearance of tellurium | Crystalline form: Silvery gray lustrous surface Amorphous form: Brown-black powder |
Atomic number of tellurium | 52 |
Symbol of tellurium | Te |
Atomic mass of tellurium | 127.6 u |
Protons, Neutrons & Electrons in tellurium | Protons: 52, Neutrons: 76, Electrons: 52 |
State of tellurium (at STP) | Solid |
Group number of tellurium in periodic table | 16 |
Period number of tellurium in periodic table | 5 |
Block of tellurium in periodic table | p-block |
Category of tellurium | Metalloids |
Bohr model or Electrons per shell or Electrons arrangement in tellurium | 2, 8, 18, 18, 6 |
Electron configuration of tellurium | [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p4 |
Orbital diagram of tellurium | ![]() |
Valence electrons in tellurium | 6 |
Electronegativity of tellurium (on pauling scale) | 2.1 |
Atomic radius of tellurium (van der Waals radius) | 206 picometers |
Density of tellurium | 6.24 g/cm3 |
1st ionization energy of tellurium | 9.01 eV |
Main isotope of tellurium | 130Te |
Melting point of tellurium | 722.6 K or 449.5 °C or 841.1 °F |
Boiling point of tellurium | 1261 K or 988 °C or 1810 °F |
Crystal structure of tellurium | Hexagonal |
Discovery of tellurium | By Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein in 1782 |
Also see: Interactive Periodic Table (It has rotating bohr models as well as many other details of all the 118 elements in a single periodic table).
Tellurium element in Periodic table
The Tellurium element (Te) has the atomic number 52 and is located in group 16 and period 5. Tellurium is a metalloid and it is classified as a chalcogens element.
H | He | ||||||||||||||||
Li | Be | B | C | N | O | F | Ne | ||||||||||
Na | Mg | Al | Si | P | S | Cl | Ar | ||||||||||
K | Ca | Sc | Ti | V | Cr | Mn | Fe | Co | Ni | Cu | Zn | Ga | Ge | As | Se | Br | Kr |
Rb | Sr | Y | Zr | Nb | Mo | Tc | Ru | Rh | Pd | Ag | Cd | In | Sn | Sb | Te | I | Xe |
Cs | Ba | La* | Hf | Ta | W | Re | Os | Ir | Pt | Au | Hg | Tl | Pb | Bi | Po | At | Rn |
Fr | Ra | Ac** | Rf | Db | Sg | Bh | Hs | Mt | Ds | Rg | Cn | Nh | Fl | Mc | Lv | Ts | Og |
*Ce | Pr | Nd | Pm | Sm | Eu | Gd | Tb | Dy | Ho | Er | Tm | Yb | Lu | ||||
**Th | Pa | U | Np | Pu | Am | Cm | Bk | Cf | Es | Fm | Md | No | Lr |
Facts about tellurium
Here are a few interesting facts about tellurium element.
- Tellurium was named after a Latin word “Tellus” which means earth.
- Tellurium was discovered by Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein in 1782.
- Most of the tellurium is produced by China and because of this, China ranks #1 for the production of tellurium.
- Tellurium is found in a mineral form along with gold and other metals.
- Tellurium shows few properties of metals and few properties of nonmetals.
Properties of tellurium
Here is a list of some physical properties and chemical properties of tellurium.
Physical properties of tellurium
- Tellurium is a metalloid having a silvery white luster.
- There are many isotopes of tellurium, and out of these isotopes, the most abundant isotope is 130Te (it has an abundance of around 34%).
- Tellurium has hexagonal crystal structure.
- The melting point and boiling point of tellurium is 722.6 K and 1261 K respectively.
- The density of tellurium is 6.24 g/cm3 and its atomic mass is 127.6 u.
Chemical properties of tellurium
- At higher temperatures, tellurium reacts with oxygen and forms Tellurium oxide.
- Tellurium produces a greenish-blue flame when it is heated in the presence of air.
- Tellurium has an electronegativity of 2.1 on the pauling scale.
- The common oxidation states of tellurium are +4 and +5.
Uses of tellurium
Here are some uses of the tellurium element.
- Tellurium is added to metals like steel and copper. Because of this, the machinability of these metals can be improved.
- The strength and corrosive resistance property of lead can be improved by adding tellurium to it.
- Tellurium metal is also used in ceramics as well as in some castings.
- Some superconductors also contain tellurium metal in it.
- Tellurium is also used in solar panels.
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