Selenium (Se)
By: Justin Brubaker
Fast Facts
It is the 34 element in the Periodic Table. It is used a lot there is about 2000 tons extracted from the world annually. Germany is the biggest producer and China is the biggest consumer.
It is classified as an nonmetal. It resembles Hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen and sulfur. Selenium has several allotropic form, but their are three main ones.
Protons and Neutrons. The number of protons in Selenium is 34 and there are 45 neutrons. The atomic number for selenium is 34
History of Selenium
It was discovered in Sweden in 1817 by Jöns Jacob Berzelius. He originally thought that he had produced Tellurium but after examining it for a while he realized that he had produced an unknown substance.
Selenium was named after the Greek god Selene. She was the Greek goddess of the moon.
Protons and Neutrons
Selenium
Uses
Selenium Properties
Has a melting point of 494 K and a boiling point of 958 K. It is often noted as being red and powdery or black (in vitreous). Malleability and conductivity are not useful when it comes to Selenium. The density of Selenium is 4.819 g/cc.
Selenium is not very reactive and is not highly flammable.
Selenium's Uses
It was used in photography as a photographic toner, but with the use of digital cameras now it isn't used for that anymore. Nowadays it is used in laser printers and photo copiers. It is used because it is an insulator in the dark and a conductor in the light.
It is also used for decorative items like glass and for making ruby colored glass. It is also used in metal like stainless steel.
We also need it for living but of we get to much of it we will die because it is toxic over a long period of time.
Laser Printer
Photography
Glass
Selenium Isotopes
There are six naturally occurring isotopes of Selenium. Five of them are stable these include 74Se, 76Se, 77Se, 78Se, and 80Se. There are 15 other unstable isotopes.
One of the unstable isotopes Se-75 is used in the organs of the human body between organs they give off radiation.
Sources Used
Jefferson Lab: <http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/
ele034.html>.
Periodic Table: <http://periodictable.com/Elements/034/index.html>.
Chemistry Explained: <http://www.chemistryexplained.com/elements/P-T/Selenium.html>.
Los Alamos Periodic Table:<http://periodic.lanl.gov/34.shtml>.
Royal Society of Periodic Table: <http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/34/selenium>.
Soft Schools: <http://www.softschools.com/facts/periodic_table/selenium_facts/211/>.
Live Science:<http://www.livescience.com/31972-selenium.html>.
Photo Sources
Color Printer- <http://www.onedirectiontour.co/car/
testng-ie-not-executing-test-case-properly-in-selenium>.
Element Selenium- http://periodictable.com/Elements/034/.
Formula for Selenium- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selenium_disulfide
Jöns Jacob Berzelius- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B6ns_Jacob_Berzelius.
Protons and Neutrons of Selenium-<http://vivioptalvitamins.com/healthcenter/selenium/
#sthash.nY4DmqCy.dpbs>.
Selenium Tile- <http://www.cafepress.com/
+periodic-table-selenium+coasters>.