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Understanding the element
Germanium (Ge) is chemical element 32. 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.
Where do we encounter it?
In practice, it turns up most often in fibre optics, semiconductors and infrared optics.
fibre opticssemiconductorsinfrared optics
Standard atomic weight72.630(8)
What its position in the table tells us
Germanium sits in period 4, group 14 and the P block. That location is useful because neighbouring elements often share trends in valence electrons, oxidation states and bonding behaviour.
Worth remembering
Germanium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Germanium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses