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Periodic Table of Elements

Element Tellurium – Te

Comprehensive data on the chemical element Tellurium is provided on this page; including scores of properties, element names in many languages, most known nuclides of Tellurium. Common chemical compounds are also provided for many elements. In addition technical terms are linked to their definitions and the menu contains links to related articles that are a great aid in one studies. Using the "Periodic Table of Elements Quick Navigation" graphic at the bottom of the sidebar menu, one can quickly jump from chemical element to chemical element.

Tellurium Menu

• Tellurium Page One
  • Overview of Tellurium
  • Tellurium's Name in Other Languages
  • Atomic Structure of Tellurium
  • Chemical Properties of Tellurium
  • Physical Properties of Tellurium
  • Regulatory / Health
  • Who/When/Where/How
• Tellurium Page Two
  • Nuclides / Isotopes
  • Potential Parent Nuclides
• Tellurium Page Three
  • Common Chemical Compounds of Tellurium

Overview of Tellurium

• Atomic Number:52
• Group: 16
• Period: 5
• Series: Metalloids (Nonmetal)

Tellurium's Name in Other Languages

• Latin: Tellurium
• Czech: Tellur
• Croatian: Telurij
• French: Tellure
• German: Tellur - r
• Italian: Tellurio
• Norwegian: Tellur
• Portuguese: Telúrio
• Russian:
• Spanish: Teluro
• Swedish: Tellur

Atomic Structure of Tellurium

• Atomic Radius: 1.42Å
• Atomic Volume: 20.5cm³/mol
• Covalent Radius: 1.36Å
• Cross Section (Thermal Neutron Capture) _a/barns: 4.7
• Crystal Structure: Hexagonal

  

• Electron Configuration:

  1s² 2s²p⁶ 3s²p⁶d¹⁰ 4s²p⁶d¹⁰ 5s²p⁴

• Electrons per Energy Level: 2,8,18,18,6

  Shell Model
  

• Ionic Radius: 0.97Å
• Filling Orbital: 5p⁴
• Number of Electrons (with no charge): 52
• Number of Neutrons (most common/stable nuclide): 76
• Number of Protons: 52
• Oxidation States: ±2,4,6
• Valence Electrons: 5s²p⁴

  Electron Dot Model
  

Chemical Properties of Tellurium

• Electrochemical Equivalent: 1.1902g/amp-hr
• Electron Work Function: 4.95eV
• Electronegativity: 2.1 (Pauling); 2.01 (Allrod Rochow)
• Heat of Fusion: 17.49kJ/mol
• Incompatibilities:

  Oxidizers, chlorine, cadmium

• Ionization Potential
  • First: 9.009
  • Second: 18.6
  • Third: 27.96
• Valence Electron Potential (-eV): 59

Physical Properties of Tellurium

• Atomic Mass Average: 127.6
• Boiling Point: 1261K 988°C 1810°F
• Coefficient of lineal thermal expansion/K^-1: 16.75E^-6
• Conductivity

  Electrical: 2.0E^-6 10⁶/cm
  Thermal: 0.0235 W/cmK

• Density: 6.24g/cc @ 300K
• Description:

  Silvery white metal-looking non-metal that is usually obtained as a dark grey powder. It is unaffected by water and HCl, but burns in air or oxygen and dissolves in HNO₃.

• Elastic Modulus:
  • Bulk: 65/GPa
  • Rigidity: 16.7/GPa
  • Youngs: 47.1/GPa
• Enthalpy of Atomization: 190.4 kJ/mole @ 25°C
• Enthalpy of Fusion: 17.49 kJ/mole
• Enthalpy of Vaporization: 50.6 kJ/mole
• Flammablity Class: Combustible Solid
• Freezing Point: see melting point
• Hardness Scale
  • Brinell: 180 MN m^-2
  • Mohs: 2.25
• Heat of Vaporization: 52.55kJ/mol
• Melting Point: 722.8K 449.65°C 841.37°F
  
• Molar Volume: 20.42 cm³/mole
• Optical Reflectivity: 50%
• Optical Refractive Index: 1.000991
• Physical State (at 20°C & 1atm): Solid
• Specific Heat: 0.2J/gK
• Vapor Pressure = 23.1Pa@449.65°C

Regulatory / Health

• CAS Number
  • 13494-80-9
• RTECS: WY2625000
• OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
  • TWA: 0.1 mg/m³
• OSHA PEL Vacated 1989
  • TWA: 0.1 mg/m³
• NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL)
  • TWA: 0.1 mg/m³
  • IDLH: 25 mg/m³
• Routes of Exposure: Inhalation; Ingestion; Skin and/or eye contact
  
• Target Organs: Skin, central nervous system, blood
  
• Levels In Humans:
  Note: this data represents naturally occuring levels of elements in the typical human, it DOES NOT represent recommended daily allowances.
  • Blood/mg dm^-3: 0.0055
  • Bone/p.p.m: n/a
  • Liver/p.p.m: 0.014
  • Muscle/p.p.m: 0.017
  • Daily Dietary Intake: 0.6 mg
  • Total Mass In Avg. 70kg human: 0.7 mg

Who / Where / When / How

• Discoverer: Baron Franz Müller von Reichenstein
• Discovery Location: Sibiu Romania
• Discovery Year: 1783
• Name Origin:

  Greek: tellus (the Earth).

• Abundance of Tellurium:
  • Earth's Crust/p.p.m.: 0.005
  • Seawater/p.p.m.:
    • Atlantic Suface: 1.6E-07
    • Atlantic Deep: 7E-08
    • Pacific Surface: 1.9E-07
    • Pacific Deep: 1.7E-07
  • Atmosphere/p.p.m.: N/A
  • Sun (Relative to H=1E¹²): N/A
• Sources of Tellurium:

  Obtained as a by-product of copper and lead refining. Annual world production is around 215 tons.

• Uses of Tellurium:

  Used to improve the machining quality of metal products and to color glass and ceramics. Also used in thermoelectric devices, vulcanization of rubber, percussion caps, battery plate protectors and electrical resistors.

• Additional Notes:

[Last update: 2/22/2007]

Tellurium Menu

• Tellurium Page One
  • Overview of Tellurium
  • Tellurium's Name in Other Languages
  • Atomic Structure of Tellurium
  • Chemical Properties of Tellurium
  • Physical Properties of Tellurium
  • Regulatory / Health
  • Who/When/Where/How
• Tellurium Page Two
  • Nuclides / Isotopes
  • Potential Parent Nuclides
• Tellurium Page Three
  • Common Chemical Compounds of Tellurium

Related Resources

• Anatomy of the Atom
  Answers many questions regarding the structure of atoms.
• Molarity, Molality and Normality
  Introduces stoichiometry and explains the differences between molarity, molality and normality.
• Molar Mass Calculations and Javascript Calculator
  Molar mass calculations are explained and there is a JavaScript calculator to aid calculations.
• Chemical Database
  This database focuses on the most common chemical compounds used in the home and industry.

Citing this page

If you need to cite this page, you can copy this text:

Kenneth Barbalace. Periodic Table of Elements - Tellurium – Te. EnvironmentalChemistry.com. 1995 - 2009. Accessed on-line: 7/4/2009
http://EnvironmentalChemistry.com/yogi/periodic/Te.html
.