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Element 52 · Tellurium (Te)

Tellurium Bohr model: diagram and electrons per shell

The tellurium Bohr model shows a tellurium atom (Te) as a small nucleus with its electrons circling it in 5 shells: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 18 in shell N and 6 in shell O. This page has a rotating 3D tellurium Bohr model, a flat diagram, a table of the electrons in each shell and the steps to draw it yourself.

Rotate the tellurium Bohr model in 3D

Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom.

This is a Bohr model of tellurium (Te), a simplified picture of a single tellurium atom. Its nucleus holds 52 protons, and a neutral tellurium atom has 52 electrons, arranged around it in 5 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 18 in shell N and 6 in shell O).

Te K · 21s2 L · 82s2 2p6 M · 183s2 3p6 3d10 N · 184s2 4p6 4d10 O · 65s2 5p4

Tellurium Bohr model diagram

Bohr model diagram of tellurium: a nucleus of 52 protons with 52 electrons on 5 shells, 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 18 in shell N and 6 in shell O, each ring labelled with its shell letter.
The tellurium Bohr model drawn flat: each ring is a shell, labelled with its letter, and every dot is an electron (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 18 in shell N and 6 in shell O).

Tellurium electrons per shell

A neutral tellurium atom has 52 electrons, one for each of its 52 protons. They fill the shells from the nucleus outwards: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 18 in shell N and 6 in shell O.

Electrons in each shell of the tellurium Bohr model
ShellShell number (n)ElectronsMost it can hold (2n²)Subshells
K1221s2
L2882s2 2p6
M318183s2 3p6 3d10
N418324s2 4p6 4d10
O56505s2 5p4

How the tellurium Bohr model builds up, shell by shell

Watch the tellurium Bohr model come together: the nucleus first, then each shell in turn, from the innermost outwards, with its electrons joining the ring. The legend names every shell and counts its electrons, so you can read off the arrangement (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 18 in shell N and 6 in shell O) as it forms.

Animation of the tellurium Bohr model being built: a nucleus of 52 protons appears first, then each shell grows in around it and takes its electrons, giving 52 electrons on 5 shells (2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 18 in shell N and 6 in shell O).
The tellurium Bohr model built up in six seconds: the nucleus first, then each shell with its electrons, ending with 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 18 in shell N and 6 in shell O. Protons are red, neutrons yellow and electrons blue.

How to draw the tellurium Bohr model

  1. Find the atomic number. Tellurium has atomic number 52, so a neutral atom has 52 protons and 52 electrons.
  2. Draw the nucleus. Put a circle in the centre and write Te in it. The 52 protons sit there with the neutrons.
  3. Draw the shells. Sketch 5 shells as rings around the nucleus. A shell holds at most 2n² electrons: 2 in the first, 8 in the second, 18 in the third and 32 in the fourth.
  4. Place the electrons. Fill from the inside out: 2 in shell K, 8 in shell L, 18 in shell M, 18 in shell N and 6 in shell O.
  5. Check the total. 2 + 8 + 18 + 18 + 6 = 52, the atomic number, so every electron is accounted for.

Atomic data for the tellurium Bohr model

The numbers behind the tellurium Bohr model, grouped by topic. Radii are in picometres (pm) and energies in kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).

Identity

Symbol
Te
Atomic number
52
Atomic mass
127.603 u
Family
Metalloids
Position
group 16, period 5
Block
p-block

Electron configuration

Full
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p4
Shorthand
[Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p4
Electrons per shell
2, 8, 18, 18, 6
Outer-shell electrons
6 in shell O

Ionisation energies

I₁
869.3
I₂
1790
I₃
2698
I₄
3610
I₅
5668
I₆
6820
I₇
13200

Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). A sharp jump means the next electron comes from an inner shell.

Atomic radii

Calculated (pm)
123
Empirical (pm)
140
Covalent (pm)
136
Van der Waals (pm)
206

Electronegativity and electron affinity

Electronegativity (Pauling)
2.1
Electron affinity (kJ/mol)
190.161

Oxidation states

−2 +2 +4 +6

Charges the element commonly takes in compounds.

Physical properties, abundance and history of tellurium

Bulk properties of tellurium, how common it is, who discovered it and some of its compounds.

Physical properties

Phase at room conditions
Solid
Melting point
449.51°C (722.66 K)
Boiling point
987.85°C (1261 K)
Density
6.24 g/cm³
Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)
14.3
Specific heat (J/g·K)
0.202
Molar heat capacity (J/mol·K)
25.73
Heat of fusion (kJ/mol)
17.91
Heat of vaporisation (kJ/mol)
49.8

Abundance

Earth's crust (mg/kg)
0.001

Discovery

Discovered by
Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein
Year
1782

Common compounds

  • Tellurium Te
  • Lead telluride PbTe
  • Tellurium hexafluoride F6Te
  • Tellurium dioxide O2Te
  • Telluric acid (H6TeO6) H6O6Te
  • Cadmium telluride CdTe
  • NICKEL TELLURIDE (NiTe) NiTe
  • Mercury telluride HgTe

Compounds listed in the PubChem database.

Main isotopes of tellurium

Isotopes of tellurium share the same 52 protons but differ in neutrons. Natural isotopes come first, then the longest-lived others.

Main isotopes of tellurium: mass number, abundance, half-life and decay
Mass numberNatural abundanceHalf-lifeDecay
1222.55 %stable–
1244.74 %stable–
1257.07 %stable–
12618.84 %stable–
12831.74 %2.25 Yy2β⁻
13034.08 %791 Ey2β⁻

α = alpha decay, β⁻ = beta-minus, β⁺ = beta-plus, EC = electron capture, SF = spontaneous fission, p / n = proton / neutron emission.

More about tellurium