Wikijunior:The Elements/Tellurium

Shows the position of Tellurium on the periodic chart.

Tellurium's symbol on the Periodic Table

What does it look, feel, taste, or smell like?

Tellurium is a silver-white metalloid. Tellurium compounds generally smell awful. If a human being is exposed to tellurium, even in very small amounts — keeping in mind, tellurium is toxic, so people shouldn't be exposed to it, even in very small amounts — their body metabolizes it so that their breath then smells so horrible that, reportedly, lab workers exposed to tellurium had to be given a leave of absence till it worked out of their system.

Where did its name come from?

Did You Know?

• First interesting fact.
• Another interesting fact.
• Yet another interesting fact.

Is it dangerous?

Yes. Tellurium is mildly toxic, so people should be very careful when handling it.