Beryllium

Beryllium has the chemical symbol Be, with an atomic number of 4. It is often found in alloys because it is used as a hardening agent, but is also found in many gemstones. It can be dangerous to work with because of its toxicity. It is an alkaline earth metal, and has an atomic weight of 9.012. It is solid with a density of 1.83 g*cm^3.

The Element Beryllium 4 Be Beryllium 9.012182 Although emeralds and beryl were known to ancient civilizations, they were first recognized as the same mineral (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) by Abbé Haüy in 1798. Later that year, Louis-Nicholas Vauquelin, a French chemist, discovered that an unknown element was present in emeralds and beryl. Attempts to isolate the new element finally succeeded in 1828 when two chemists, Friedrich Wölhler of Germany and A. Bussy of France, independently produced beryllium by reducing beryllium chloride (BeCl2) with potassium in a platinum crucible. Today, beryllium is primarily obtained from the minerals beryl (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) and bertrandite (4BeO·2SiO2·H2O) through a chemical process or through the electrolysis of a mixture of molten beryllium chloride (BeCl2) and sodium chloride (NaCl). Beryllium is relatively transparent to X-rays and is used to make windows for X-ray tubes. When exposed to alpha particles, such as those emitted by radium or polonium, beryllium emits neutrons and is used as a neutron source. Beryllium is also used as a moderator in nuclear reactors. Beryllium is alloyed with copper (2% beryllium, 98% copper) to form a wear resistant material, known as beryllium bronze, used in gyroscopes and other devices where wear resistance is important. Beryllium is alloyed with nickel (2% beryllium, 98% nickel) to make springs, spot-welding electrodes and non-sparking tools. Other beryllium alloys are used in the windshield, brake disks and other structural components of the space shuttle. Beryllium oxide (BeO), a compound of beryllium, is used in the nuclear industry and in ceramics. Beryllium was once known as glucinum, which means sweet, since beryllium and many of its compounds have a sugary taste. Unfortunately for the chemists that discovered this particular property, beryllium and many of its compounds are poisonous and should never be tasted or ingested.
 * Atomic Number:** 4
 * Atomic Weight:** 9.012182
 * Melting Point:** 1560 K (1287°C or 2349°F)
 * Boiling Point:** 2744 K (2471°C or 4480°F)
 * Density:** 1.85 grams per cubic centimeter
 * Phase at Room Temperature:** Solid
 * Element Classification:** Metal
 * Period Number:** 2 **Group Number:** 2 **Group Name:** Alkaline Earth Metal
 * What's in a name?** From the Greek word **beryl**, a type of mineral.
 * Say what?** Beryllium is pronounced as **beh-RIL-ee-em**. **History and Uses:**
 * Estimated Crustal Abundance:** 2.8 milligrams per kilogram
 * Estimated Oceanic Abundance:** 5.6×10-6 milligrams per liter
 * Number of Stable Isotopes:** 1 (View all isotope data)
 * Ionization Energy:** 9.323 eV
 * Oxidation State:** +2
 * Name:** Beryllium **Symbol:** Be **Atomic Number:** 4 **Atomic Mass:** 9.012182 amu **Melting Point:** 1278.0 °C (1551.15 K, 2332.4 °F) **Boiling Point:** 2970.0 °C (3243.15 K, 5378.0 °F) **Number of Protons/Electrons:** 4 **Number of Neutrons:** 5 **Classification:** Alkaline Earth **Crystal Structure:** Hexagonal **Density @ 293 K:** 1.8477 g/cm3 **Color:** gray

Atomic Structure

 * [[image:http://www.grandunifiedtheory.org.il/Book5/html/Beryllium_atom_structure_files/image001.gif width="213" height="211"]] ||  || **Number of Energy Levels:** 2
 * First Energy Level:** **Second Energy Level:** ||

Isotopes

 * ** Isotope ** || ** Half Life ** ||
 * Be-7 || 53.3 days ||
 * Be-9 || Stable ||
 * Be-10 || 2600000.0 years ||

Facts

 * Date of Discovery:** 1798 **Discoverer:** Fredrich Wohler **Name Origin:** From the mineral beryl **Uses:** spacecraft, missiles, aircraft **Obtained From:** beryl, chrysoberyl