Beryllium

Symbol BeAtomic number 4
Atomic mass
9.01218
Thermal conductivity
2.00
Atomic radius
1.40
Covalent radius
0.90
Density
1.85
Atomic volume
5.0
Melting point
1551
Oxidation states
2
Boiling point
3243
Stable isotopes
1
Heat of vapor.
292.4
Electronegativity
1.57
Heat of fusion
12.2
First ionization
9.322
Specific heat
1.82
Electrical conduct.
...
Electron configuration

General descriptionNuclear data
Index

Periodic Table

Chemistry concepts
 
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Beryllium

Beryllium is a light, silvery-white metal. It is used for making windows for x-ray tubes and radiation counters. X-rays readily penetrate materials of low atomic number, and beryllium metal has the best mechanical properties for the production of such windows.

Beryllium is also used in specialty alloys. About 2% of beryllium in copper produces a hard alloy used for making springs.

The principal ore of beryllium is beryl, Be3Al2(SiO3)6. Gem varieties of beryl include emerald, which is beryl with traces of chromium to contribute the green color. Also of gem quality is trapiche, or trapiche emerald, which is a green gem with a marked spoke pattern. Aquamarine is also a bluegreen variety of beryl. Beryllium is found in the phosphate minerals Beryllonite, Herderite and roscherite.

Beryllium forms the silicate phenakite, Be2SiO4. Beryllium is also found in the silicate mineral Bertrandite. Other silicates of beryllium are leucophanite, helvite and milarite. It is found with yttrium in the silicate mineral gadolinite. Another silicate mineral of beryllium is euclase. A silicate of beryllium with sodium and aluminum is tugtupite. A silicate of beryllium with sodium is epididymite.

With aluminum, beryllium forms the oxide mineral Chrysoberyl including a gem-quality variety called Alexandrite. With boron, beryllium forms the oxide mineral Hambergite. With magnesium and aluminum, beryllium forms the oxide mineral taafeite.

Compounds of beryllium are very poisonous - dust or powder from the metal or its oxides can cause serious illness.


Atomic dataNuclear data
Index

Periodic Table

Chemistry concepts

Reference
Pauling
Ch. 26
 
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Beryllium Nuclear Data

Z
A
Atomic
Mass (u)
Nuclear
Mass(GeV/c2
Binding
Energy(MeV)
Spin
Natural
Abund.
Half-life
Decay
Q
MeV
4
7
7.016928
6.5342
37.6
3/2
...
53.28d
EC
0.86
4
9
9.012182
8.3928
58.17
3/2
100
stable
...
...
4
10
10.013534
9.3256
64.98
0
...
1.52My
b-
0.56
4
11
11.021658
10.2646
65.48
1/2
...
13.8s
b-
11.48
4
12
12.026921
11.2011
68.65
0
...
24ms
b-
11.71
Atomic data
Index

Periodic Table

Chemistry concepts

Reference
Rohlf
 
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