The periodic table/Beryllium
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Beryllium is the fourth element on the periodic table.
Discovery
[edit | edit source]Beryllium was discovered in France by Nicolas-Louis Vauquelin in 1798, and was isolated independently by Friedrich Wöhler and A.A. Bussy in 1828.
Beryllium in Gemstones
[edit | edit source]Beryllium is found in beryls (beryllium aluminum silicate, Be3Al2(SiO3)6), crysoberyls (BeAl2O4), emeralds, and aquamarines.
Quick Facts
[edit | edit source]Name: Beryllium atom Symbol: Be Atomic Mass: 9.012182 amu Classification: group 2 (alkaline earth metals) |
Protons: 4 Electrons: 4 Neutrons: 5 Colour: grey |
Discovered in: 1798 Density: 1.85 g/cm3 Crystal Structure: hexagonal Melting Point: 1,287 °C (1,560 K) / 1,278 °C (1,551 K) Boiling Point: 2,469 °C (2,742 K) / 2, 970 °C (3, 243 K) Molecular Weight: 9.01218 g·mol-1 Common Uses: gyroscopes, spacecraft, aircraft, missiles, communication satellites |
Uses
[edit | edit source]Beryllium is used in producing beryllium copper, in which beryllium copper is used to combine high strength with non magnetic and non sparking qualities ( screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, cold chisels, knives, and hammers).
Due to Beryllium's oxide having a very high melting point, beryllium is used for nuclear work. Beryllium is used in nuclear weapon designs as the very outer layer of a pit (the explosive bomb, see the wikipedia article). The layers of beryllium added onto pits create more of a "push" for the implosion (process of collapsing or squeezing on themselves) of plutonium-239.
Beryllium is also used in jewelry (from gemstone), as Emerald and Aquamarine are two varieties of beryl.
See Also
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