Tellurium

01 / A closer look

Meet Tellurium

Tellurium has atomic number 52: every atom of this element contains 52 protons. It belongs to period 5, group 16 of the periodic table.

In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons. Isotopes of this element share the same atomic number but have different neutron counts.

02 / Physical properties

Melting point

722.66 K

Boiling point

1261 K

Density

6.232 g/cm³

Atomic weight

127.60 ± 0.03

Melting points, boiling points and densities follow RSC fact boxes. Density is referenced to room temperature; consult the source for pressure and allotrope details. These are reference values, not a claim that every value was experimentally measured. Atomic weights follow CIAAW.

Physical-property source: Royal Society of Chemistry ↗ · Reviewed 24 September 2026

Standard atomic weights follow CIAAW 2024 (abridged). Brackets show an isotope mass number from IUPAC 2022, not a standard atomic weight.

03 / Atomic structure

Atomic structure

Electron configuration

[Kr]5s2 4d10 5p4

Oxidation states

+6, +4, -2

Electronegativity · Pauling

2.1

First ionisation energy

9.010 eV

Atomic radius

206 pm

04 / Where it is found

Where it is found

Often recovered from copper-refining residues.

Production and export figures depend on the commodity and reporting year. No comparable country quantities have been included for this element in this edition.