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The periodic table/Beryllium

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Beryllium is the fourth element on the periodic table.

Discovery

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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

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Beryllium is found in beryls (beryllium aluminum silicate, Be3Al2(SiO3)6), crysoberyls (BeAl2O4), emeralds, and aquamarines.

Quick Facts

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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

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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Search for Beryllium on Wikipedia.

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