🔹 Basic Information

• Element Name: Tellurium
• Discovered By: Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein
• Year of Discovery: 1782
• Category: Metalloid
• Group: 16 (Oxygen group / Chalcogens)
• State at Room Temperature: Solid (silvery-white, brittle) ⚙️

Tellurium is a rare metalloid, meaning it has both metallic and non-metallic properties.

🔸 Chemical Properties

• Chemical Symbol: Te
• Atomic Number: 52
• Atomic Mass: ~127.60 u
• Valency: Commonly −2, +4, or +6
• Electronic Configuration: [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴

Tellurium reacts slowly with air and burns with a blue flame, forming tellurium dioxide (TeO₂).

📘 Basic Things to Know

Tellurium is more rare than gold in Earth’s crust. Though not well known, it’s very important in electronics, solar panels, and alloys.

🤔 Interesting Facts

• Tellurium’s name comes from the Latin word Tellus, meaning “Earth.” 🌍
• It’s one of the few elements that can cause “garlic breath” when inhaled or ingested — even in tiny amounts! 🧄😅
• Tellurium is often used in CDs, DVDs, and solar cells.
• Though it looks like a metal, it breaks easily like glass.
• It’s often recovered as a byproduct of copper mining.

🔧 Common Uses

• Solar Panels: Used in cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells — a major use in green energy. ☀️🔋
• Electronics: Helps improve semiconductors and thermoelectric devices. 💻
• Alloys: Added to metals like steel or copper to make them stronger and easier to shape. 🔧
• Optical Discs: Used in rewritable CDs and DVDs for data storage. 💿
• Rubber Industry: Used to cure and harden rubber for better durability.

📚 Conclusion

Tellurium may be rare and lesser known, but it’s a powerful helper in modern tech, especially in solar energy and electronics. For students, it’s a cool example of how even small elements can have a big impact on the future! 🔬⚡