Cadmium telluride facts for kids
Cadmium telluride (say: KAD-mee-um TEL-yoo-ride) is a special kind of chemical compound. It's made from two different elements: cadmium and tellurium. Its chemical formula is CdTe. Think of it like a tiny building block made of cadmium and telluride ions.
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What Is Cadmium Telluride Like?
Cadmium telluride is a solid material. It usually looks black. It does not dissolve in water, which means it won't disappear if you put it in water.
It can react with strong acids. When this happens, it can create other cadmium compounds and a gas called hydrogen telluride. These can be harmful, so it's important to handle cadmium telluride safely.
How Is Cadmium Telluride Used?
Cadmium telluride is very important for making electricity. It is often used to create solar cells. These are the special panels that turn sunlight into electricity. Cadmium telluride is one of the best materials for this job!
It can also be mixed with mercury. This mixture is called mercury cadmium telluride. It is used in special cameras and sensors that can "see" infrared light. Infrared light is a type of light we can't see with our eyes, but we feel it as heat.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Fluorescence spectra of tiny CdTe quantum dots. The dots get bigger from left to right.
See also
In Spanish: Telururo de cadmio para niños
