Germanium Facts & Worksheets

Germanium is a chemical element that appears shiny and silvery; it is also an essential component in semiconductors and fiber optics.

See the fact file below for more information about Germanium, or you can download our 29-page Germanium worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ELEMENT PROPERTIES

• Germanium has the Ge atomic symbol, according to the periodic table of elements.
• The atomic number (number of protons in the nucleus) of germanium is 32.
• The atomic weight or the average mass of the atom of germanium is 72.630.
• Germanium belongs to group 14, period 4 and block P on the periodic table of elements.
• The melting point of germanium is at 938.25 degrees Celsius, while the boiling point is at 2,833 degrees Celsius.

BRIEF HISTORY

• In his report on The Periodic Law of Chemical Elements, which was published in 1869, Dmitri Mendeleev predicted the existence of an element that would bridge the gap in the carbon family and possibly be located between Silicon (Si) and Tin (Sn).
• During this time, Mendeleev referred to this element as ekasilicon (Es).
• In 1885, Clemens Winkler analyzed a new mineral found at a mining location, which was named as argyrodite due to its high silver content.
• Upon Winkler’s analysis, the mineral was found to be a combination of silver, sulfur, and a new unknown element. 
• In 1886, Winkler was able to isolate the element and discovered that the element was similar to antimony (Sb).
• Winkler named the element germanium, from Germania, the Latin word for Germany. Winkler named the element in honor of his homeland.

CLEMENS WINKLER

• Clemens Winkler, or Clemens Alexander Winkler, was a German chemist who discovered the element germanium. 
• Winkler was born in 1838 in Freiberg, Kingdom of Saxony. 
• In 1892, Winkler was elected as a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

CHARACTERISTICS

• Under standard temperature and pressure, germanium appears to be brittle, silvery-white, with a semi-metallic appearance. 
• Germanium, like crystalline silicon or c-Si, refers to the crystalline form of silicon, is a semiconductor with an indirect bandgap (refers to the band gap in semiconductors wherein the maximum energy of the valence band happens at a different momentum value than the minimum conduction band energy. 
• Pure germanium has been observed to spontaneously extrude very long screw dislocations (a topological defect of a crystal lattice)  known as germanium whiskers.

COMPOUNDS

OXIDES

• Germanium compounds refer to the chemical compounds formed by germanium.
• In diluted acids and alkalis, germanium is insoluble, but it dissolves slowly in hot, concentrated sulfuric and nitric acids and reacts violently with molten alkalis to form germanates. The compound germanate contains an oxyanion of germanium.
• There are two (2) known oxides of germanium: germanium dioxide and germanium monoxide.
• Germanium dioxide is the primary commercial supplier of germanium. Germanium dioxide also forms a passivation layer (outer layer of shield material that is used as a micro coating) when pure germanium comes into contact with atmospheric oxygen. 
• Germanium monoxide, or just germanium oxide, is a chemical compound of germanium and oxygen.

CHALCOGENIDES

• There are other known binary compounds of germanium with other chalcogens (chemical elements in group 16 on the periodic table of elements).
• Some of these compounds include germanium monosulfide (GeS), germanium monoselenide (GeSe), and germanium telluride (GeTe).

HYDRIDES

• Germane or GeH₄ is a germanium compound that is similar to methane. 
• Germane is the simplest germanium hydride but is also one of the most useful compounds of germanium.
• Germane is a tetrahedral, which means that the atom of germane is located at the center with four (4) substituents positioned at the corners. 
• Germane is highly flammable and is a highly toxic gas. 

GERMANIUM OCCURRENCE

• Germanium ores are rare; they are usually found in small portions in a few minerals. These minerals include argyrodite, briartite, germanite, renierite and sphalerite.
• Germanium can also be found in zinc ores.
• Germanium is mainly produced from sphalerite. Sphalerite is a sulfide mineral.
• Germanium can also be found in silver, lead, and copper ores.
• Fly ash (or flue ash) from power plants powered by germanium-containing coal deposits is another source of germanium.

APPLICATION AND USES

• Germanium is an important infrared optical material due to it being transparent in infrared wavelengths and can be easily cut and polished into lenses and windows.
• Germanium is also particularly useful as the front optic in thermal imaging cameras for passive thermal imaging and hotspot detection in the military, mobile night vision, and firefighting applications.
• Germanium is also used in infrared spectroscopes and other optical devices that need extremely sensitive infrared detectors.
• Germanium, when alloyed with silicon, is a semiconductor material that is becoming an important semiconductor material for high-speed integrated circuits.
• Circuits that utilize silicon-germanium alloys can be much faster than those circuits using silicon alone.
• Germanium is also commonly used for high-efficiency solar panels.
• Germanium is also used in high-brightness LEDs (commonly found in automobile headlights and LCD screen backlights).
• Germanium is becoming a key material in spintronics and spin-based quantum computing applications.

RISKS AND WATCHOUTS

• Germanium, in nature, has little to no impact on one’s health.
• Germanium poses no risks because it is typically found only as a trace element in ores and carbonaceous materials.
• In addition, the various industrial and electronic applications of germanium involve extremely small amounts of the element and are unlikely to be ingested.
• Supplements marketed to contain germanium are being advertised as an alternative medicine capable of treating leukemia and lung cancer. However, there is no medical evidence proving this claim. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded that inorganic germanium, when used as a supplement, can present potential human health hazard.
• Although the use of germanium does not require any precaution, some of the artificially produced compounds of germanium are quite reactive and can pose a threat to human health upon exposure. For example, germane can be very irritating to one’s eyes and skin and can impact the lungs and throat. 

OTHER FACTS

• Germanium is a metalloid, which means that it has both metal and nonmetal properties. Other metalloids on the periodic table of elements include boron, silicon, arsenic, antimony, tellurium, and polonium.
• Germanium, when it freezes, expands like water. Other elements that expand when frozen include gallium, silicon, bismuth and antimony.
• According to Emily Darby, a chemistry student at Harvey Mudd College, the value of germanium was recognized during World War II when it was used in high-resolution radar receivers. Soon after, the first germanium transistor was invented.
• The abundance of germanium in the crust of the Earth is about 1.5 parts per million by weight, according to Chemicool.
• In addition, it is about 200 parts per billion by weight in the solar system.

Germanium Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Germanium across 29 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Germanium. Germanium is a chemical element that appears shiny and silvery; it is also an essential component in semiconductors and fiber optics.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Germanium Facts
2. Germanium Quiz
3. Fact or Fake
4. Check The Facts, Go Check That!
5. Blanks No More
6. Germanium Story Making
7. Germanium Soup
8. If I Were A…
9. Word Chop
10. Ge-Maze
11. Word Search Sheet

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Germanium?

Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is a metalloid in Group 14 of the periodic table, with properties that are intermediate between metals and nonmetals.

What are the key properties of Germanium?

Germanium has a grayish-white appearance and is a semiconductor, meaning it has electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. It is relatively rare in Earth’s crust but has some interesting properties, such as its sensitivity to light, which makes it useful in electronics and optical applications.

How is Germanium used in technology?

Germanium is used in the production of semiconductors and transistors, especially in the early days of electronics. Although its use has declined with the advent of silicon-based technology, germanium remains important in some niche applications, such as in infrared optics, solar panels, and certain types of diodes.

What are the health effects of Germanium?

Germanium itself is not considered essential for human health, and excessive exposure can be harmful. Organic germanium compounds, once promoted as health supplements, have been associated with serious adverse effects. It’s important to note that these compounds are not recognized as safe for human consumption, and their use is discouraged.

Is Germanium environmentally friendly?

Germanium is not considered toxic to the environment in its elemental form. However, the extraction and processing of germanium can have environmental impacts, especially if not managed properly. Recycling electronic waste, where germanium-containing devices may be found, is one way to mitigate environmental concerns associated with germanium use.

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