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Understanding the element
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.
Where do we encounter it?
In practice, it turns up most often in solar cells, thermoelectric materials and alloys.
solar cellsthermoelectric materialsalloys
Standard atomic weight127.60(3)
What its position in the table tells us
Tellurium sits in period 5, group 16 and the P block. That location is useful because neighbouring elements often share trends in valence electrons, oxidation states and bonding behaviour.
Worth remembering
Tellurium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Tellurium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses