Quick answerTellurium (Te) is a metalloid with atomic number 52 and an atomic mass of 127.6 (2023), in group 16, period 5. It was discovered by Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein in 1782. It is used for solar panels and thermoelectric devices. Its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p4.
Tellurium is a rare metalloid that turns sunlight into electricity in thin-film solar panels and steadies thermoelectric devices.
Key facts
| Symbol | Te |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 52 |
| Atomic mass | 127.6 (IUPAC standard atomic weight, 2023) |
| Category | metalloid |
| Group | 16 |
| Period | 5 |
| Block | p-block |
| Electron configuration | [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p4 |
| Discovered | Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein, 1782 |
| Uses | solar panels, thermoelectric devices, steel alloys, rubber production, semiconductors |
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Keep exploring
- Periodic table — all 118 elements
- Boron (B) — another metalloid, atomic number 5
- Silicon (Si) — another metalloid, atomic number 14
- Germanium (Ge) — another metalloid, atomic number 32
- Arsenic (As) — another metalloid, atomic number 33
- Antimony (Sb) — another metalloid, atomic number 51
Sources & last updated
- CIAAW — Standard Atomic Weights
- PubChem Periodic Table
- Wikipedia — Timeline of chemical element discoveries
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.