Telluride facts for kids
A telluride is a special kind of ion. Think of an ion as an atom or a group of atoms that has an electric charge, either positive or negative. The telluride ion has a negative charge and its chemical formula is Te2-.
When this telluride ion combines with other elements, it forms chemical compounds. These compounds are also called tellurides. For example, sodium telluride and hydrogen telluride are types of tellurides.
Contents
What is an Ion?
An ion is an atom or molecule that has gained or lost one or more electrons. This gives it an electrical charge. If an atom gains electrons, it becomes negatively charged, like the telluride ion (Te2-). If it loses electrons, it becomes positively charged.
What are Tellurides Used For?
Tellurides are very important because they are the main way we find the element tellurium in the ground. Tellurium is a rare element that is used in many modern technologies, like solar panels and computer chips.
Tellurides as Reducing Agents
Tellurides are known as strong reducing agents. In chemistry, a reducing agent is a substance that gives away electrons to another substance during a chemical reaction. This process is called reduction. Some tellurides might not be perfectly pure, which can make them slightly weaker at giving away electrons.
Where are Tellurides Found?
Tellurides usually exist only in environments that have a very high pH. pH is a scale that tells us how acidic or basic (alkaline) something is. A high pH means the environment is very basic.
Tellurides and pH Levels
- At a slightly lower pH, the telluride ion changes into another form called hydrogen telluride, which has the formula HTe-.
- If the environment becomes very acidic (meaning a very low pH), a gas called hydrogen telluride is formed.
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