Page 174 - The Periodic Table Book

34
Se Selenium

34 34 45 State: Solid
Discovery: 1817
The Oxygen Group the element has Chunk of pure grey selenium are the richest
Forms
Brazil nuts
These nuts
This form of
food source
of selenium.
a metallic sheen
on its surface.

These dark areas
contain selenium Berzelianite
and copper.
refined in a laboratory

Uses Photocopier
This bright colour
comes from the red
This calculator is powered selenium in the glaze.
by a solar cell made of
Ceramic vase
selenium and nickel.

Anti-dandruff shampoo use selenium in

Many office
photocopiers

Calculator powdered form.
A selenium compound in
this shampoo treats dandruff.

Selenium is named after Selene, the Greek powder. The most common use of selenium
goddess of the Moon. This element is a is as an ingredient that provides colour in
semi-metal and so has the properties of both glass and ceramics. Selenium is sensitive
metals and non-metals. Selenium has two main to light, so it is used in solar cells that convert
pure forms: grey selenium, which is a hard sunlight into electricity. It is also utilized in
172 substance, and red selenium, which is a soft photocopy machines.

172-173_Selenium_Tellurium.indd 172 12/12/16 5:40 pm