Tellurium
Atomic number 52 means that every Tellurium nucleus contains 52 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Tellurium.
Start with the nucleus
Atomic number 52 means that every Tellurium nucleus contains 52 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Tellurium.
Tellurium (Te) is chemical element 52. It belongs to the metalloids, and its reference state at room temperature is a solid. Those basic facts are a useful starting point for its chemistry and applications.
In practice, it turns up most often in solar cells, thermoelectric materials and alloys.
See the atom
Conceptual visual: electron shells are a learning aid, not a literal picture of quantum orbitals.
What this number means
Atomic number 52 means that every Tellurium nucleus contains 52 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Tellurium.