Tellurium Electron Configuration

Reference for tellurium's electron configuration ([Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴), orbital box diagram, and key atomic data for Te (Z=52).

Z = 52 Te Tellurium

Tellurium — Electron Configuration

Atomic number 52 · Metalloid (chalcogen) · Period 5, Group 16 · p-block

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴ [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴ 52 electrons 6 valence e⁻ Standard filling

Full Configuration

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴

All subshells written explicitly — 52 electrons total.

Noble-Gas Shorthand

[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴

[Kr] = 1s²…4p⁶ (krypton's filled core, Z=36).

Valence Electrons

5s² 5p⁴ = 6

Two paired in 5s; four in 5p with 2 unpaired (Hund's rule).

Subshell Breakdown

Subshell Type Electrons Max Capacity Notation
1s s orbital, shell n=1 2 2 1s²
2s s orbital, shell n=2 2 2 2s²
2p p orbitals, shell n=2 6 6 2p⁶
3s s orbital, shell n=3 2 2 3s²
3p p orbitals, shell n=3 6 6 3p⁶
3d d orbitals, shell n=3 10 10 3d¹⁰
4s s orbital, shell n=4 2 2 4s²
4p p orbitals, shell n=4 6 6 4p⁶
4d d orbitals, shell n=4 10 10 4d¹⁰
5s s orbital, shell n=5 2 2 5s²
5p p orbitals, shell n=5 4 6 5p⁴
Total 52

Shell Fill Summary

Shell 1 (n=1) — 1s² 2 / 2 electrons (100%)
Shell 2 (n=2) — 2s² 2p⁶ 8 / 8 electrons (100%)
Shell 3 (n=3) — 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 18 / 18 electrons (100%)
Shell 4 (n=4) — 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 18 / 32 electrons (56%)
Shell 5 (n=5) — 5s² 5p⁴ 6 / 50 electrons (12%)

Shell 5 can hold up to 50 electrons (5s + 5p + 5d + 5f + 5g). Tellurium uses 6 — the 5s² and 5p⁴ slots. The next element, iodine (Z=53), adds one more 5p electron to reach 5p⁵.

Group 16 Chalcogens — Same Valence Shell Pattern

Element Z Noble-Gas Config. Valence
Oxygen (O) 8 [He] 2s² 2p⁴ 6
Sulfur (S) 16 [Ne] 3s² 3p⁴ 6
Selenium (Se) 34 [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁴ 6
Tellurium (Te) 52 [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴ 6
Polonium (Po) 84 [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p⁴ 6

Summary

Reference for tellurium's electron configuration ([Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴), orbital box diagram, and key atomic data for Te (Z=52).

How it works

  1. The Aufbau principle fills subshells in order of increasing energy: …4s → 3d → 4p → 5s → 4d → 5p.
  2. Tellurium (Z=52) follows the standard filling order with no anomalies — all 52 electrons occupy the expected subshells.
  3. The krypton core ([Kr], Z=36) accounts for electrons 1–36; the remaining 16 electrons fill 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴.
  4. The 5p subshell holds 4 electrons across 3 orbitals: two paired and two unpaired (Hund's rule), giving two unpaired spins.
  5. Noble-gas shorthand replaces the krypton core with [Kr], leaving [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴ as the standard abbreviated form.
  6. The 6 valence electrons (5s² 5p⁴) make tellurium a chalcogen; it is isoelectronic in its valence shell with sulfur and selenium.

Use cases

  • Quick reference for chemistry homework on Period 5 elements and Group 16 chalcogens.
  • Understand how tellurium's 5p⁴ arrangement gives it 6 valence electrons and typical −2 oxidation state.
  • Visualize orbital filling for Period 5 p-block elements using the orbital box diagram.
  • Compare tellurium to sulfur and selenium — the Group 16 chalcogen family.
  • Teaching aid for Hund's rule, p-block filling, and metalloid properties.
  • Reference for CdTe solar cell and Bi₂Te₃ thermoelectric materials chemistry.
  • Verify quantum numbers for the outermost subshells of tellurium (5s and 5p).

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-08 · Reviewed by Nham Vu