Definition

1. Noun:
   • A brittle grey crystalline element that is a semiconducting metalloid (resembling silicon) used in transistors; occurs in germanite and argyrodite: This is the chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is classified as a metalloid, sharing properties of both metals and nonmetals.

Usage

• Noun: The term "atomic number 32" is used primarily in scientific and technical contexts to refer specifically to the element germanium by its defining property—its number of protons. It is less common in everyday language than the element's name.
  • In the periodic table, the element with atomic number 32 is germanium.
  • The semiconductor properties of atomic number 32 were crucial for early transistor development.

Advanced Usage

• In Chemistry and Physics: The phrase "atomic number 32" is used to unambiguously identify the element, especially in discussions of periodic trends, nuclear composition, or when the symbol 'Ge' might be unclear.
  • The isotope of atomic number 32, germanium-76, is studied for its potential neutrinoless double-beta decay.

Variants and Related Words

• Germanium (n): The common name for the element with atomic number 32.
  • Germanium diodes were used in early electronics.
• Metalloid (n): A category of elements to which atomic number 32 belongs, having properties intermediate between metals and nonmetals.
• Semiconductor (n): A material, like atomic number 32, which has electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator.

Synonyms

• Germanium: This is the direct and most frequently used synonym for "atomic number 32".
• Element 32: A less formal but equivalent scientific synonym.
• Ge: The chemical symbol for atomic number 32.

Related Phrases

• "The element with atomic number 32": A common descriptive phrase used to introduce or define germanium.
  • The element with atomic number 32 was predicted by Mendeleev before its discovery.

Noun

1. a brittle grey crystalline element that is a semiconducting metalloid (resembling silicon) used in transistors; occurs in germanite and argyrodite