Tellurium, a chemical element with the symbol Te and atomic number 52, is a silver-white metalloid. This element is brittle, mildly toxic, and shares chemical similarities with sulfur and selenium. Understanding the number of neutrons in a tellurium atom requires exploring atomic structure and calculation methods.
Understanding Atomic Structure and Neutron Calculation
An atom represents the smallest unit of matter that retains all the chemical properties of an element. Atoms are composed of three primary subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons carry a positive electrical charge, while electrons have a negative charge, and neutrons possess no electrical charge. Protons and neutrons are located together in the atom’s central core, known as the nucleus. Electrons, with their negligible mass, orbit around this nucleus.
The identity of a chemical element is defined by its atomic number, symbolized as Z. This number corresponds precisely to the count of protons within an atom’s nucleus. For instance, every atom of carbon has six protons, giving it an atomic number of six.
The mass number, denoted as A, represents the total count of both protons and neutrons in an atom’s nucleus. To determine the number of neutrons in a specific atom, subtract the atomic number (number of protons) from the mass number (total protons and neutrons). The formula is: Number of Neutrons = Mass Number – Atomic Number.
Tellurium’s Isotopes and Practical Uses
Tellurium has an atomic number of 52, meaning every tellurium atom contains 52 protons. However, the number of neutrons can vary, leading to different forms called isotopes. Isotopes are atoms of the same element with identical protons but differing neutron counts and mass numbers. Tellurium has several naturally occurring isotopes, including stable forms and slightly radioactive ones like Te-128 and Te-130.
The most common naturally occurring isotopes of tellurium are Te-128 and Te-130. For Tellurium-128 (Te-128), its mass number is 128. Using the calculation, 128 (mass number) minus 52 (atomic number) results in 76 neutrons. Similarly, for Tellurium-130 (Te-130), with a mass number of 130, the calculation is 130 minus 52, yielding 78 neutrons.
Tellurium finds use in several modern technologies. It is a component in cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar panels, which convert sunlight into electrical energy efficiently. This element is also employed in thermoelectric devices that can convert temperature differences directly into electrical voltage. Additionally, tellurium is added as an alloying agent to metals like copper, steel, and lead. This improves their machinability, enhances strength, and increases resistance to corrosion.