The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
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Tellurium is the fourth element in Group 16 of the periodic table, a group of elements sometimes known as the chalcogens. Tellurium has an atomic number of 52, an atomic mass of 127.60, and a chemical symbol of Te.
Tellurium is a grayish white solid with a shiny surface. Its melting point is 841.6°F (449.8°C), its boiling point is 1,814°F (989.9°C), and its density is 6.24 grams per cubic centimeter. Although the element has many metal-like properties, it is rather brittle and does not conduct an electric current very well.
Tellurium reacts with both acids and some alkalis. Its most interesting chemical property is that it combines with gold to form gold telluride (Au2Te3), a form in which much of the world's gold occurs.
Tellurium is one of the rarest elements in the Earth's crust with an abundance estimated at about one part per billion. Its most common ore is sylvanite, a complex combination of gold, silver, and tellurium. Tellurium is obtained commercially as a byproduct in the refining of copper and lead.
Tellurium was discovered in 1782 by the Austrian mineralogist Baron Franz Joseph Müller von Reichenstein (1740-1825). Von Reichenstein made his discovery while analyzing a sample of gold from a colleague that contained an unknown impurity. His tests indicated that the impurity was a new element, for which he suggested the name tellurium. The name was based on the Latin word tellus, meaning "Earth."
Tellurium is used primarily in alloys, to which it gives an improved quality of machinability. It is most commonly alloyed with steel, but may also be combined with copper and lead to improve their workability and to make them more resistant to vibration and fatigue. Small amounts of tellurium are used in the rubber and textile industries, primarily as catalysts. A growing application of tellurium is in electrical and electronic devices, such as photocopiers, printers, and infrared detection systems.