Heat of fusion 12.2 kJ·mol−1

Heat of vaporization

297 kJ·mol−1

Specific heat capacity (25 °C) 16.443 J·mol−1·K−1

Vapor pressure

P (Pa) 1 10 100 1 k 10 k 100 k

at T (K) 1462 1608 1791 2023 2327 2742

WTF is going on in here?

The Element Beryllium
[Click for Isotope Data]

4BeBeryllium9.012182

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-i-em.

History and Uses:

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.

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

Electron Shell Configuration:
1s2
2s2

The Dangers of Beryllium

Beryllium is an element that presents basically no chemical uses for plant or animal life. It is considered a rare element in both the Earth and in the universe in general because it is not formed through conventional stellar nucleosynthesis.

What is Beryllium?

Beryllium (atomic number: 4, element symbol: Be) is a grayish metal found in volcanic dust, soil, coal and certain mineral rocks.

The metal is strong, light-weight and surprisingly brittle. It is commonly used as a hardening agent in alloys like beryllium copper.

While pure beryllium is rare, beryllium compounds are more commonly found and they are commercially mined for use in the aerospace, automotive and technology industries as well as in a number of other applications both in the civilian and military sectors.

How am I Exposed to Beryllium?

The general population is exposed to slight levels of beryllium every day in the air we breathe, the foods we eat and the water we drink. For the majority of people, the level of exposure to beryllium is extremely low, but if you live or work near beryllium industries, then your chance for exposure is heightened. People who live near uncontrolled hazardous waste sites are also high risks for beryllium exposure. The most harmful beryllium exposures occur from inhaling high levels of it.

How does Beryllium get into the Environment?

When coal or oil is burned, beryllium dust is released into the atmosphere. As this dust settles, it enters our water supplies and covers the land. It can also enter the water through the natural erosion process of rocks and soil. While some beryllium compounds dissolve once they enter the water, the majority of them combine with other particles and settle to the bottom.

What are the Symptoms of Beryllium Exposure?

Inhalation of beryllium is not only the most common method of exposure, but it is also the most dangerous. If an individual inhales enough beryllium particles (greater than 100 µg/m³), then they may experience a pneumonia-like condition called Acute Beryllium Disease.

Since one to fifteen percent of the population is highly sensitive to beryllium, those individuals may also exhibit an inflammatory condition in their respiratory system. This is known as Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD). The symptoms associated with Chronic Beryllium Disease include:

Weakness
Fatigue
Difficulty Breathing
Weight Loss or Anorexia
Enlargement of the Right Side of the Heart
Heart Disease
Ingestion of beryllium has not shown to cause any adverse reactions in humans since the beryllium does not get absorbed by the stomach or intestines. However, beryllium has been shown to cause ulcers in dogs that have ingested it. Plus, when open cuts or scrapes on the skin come into contact with beryllium, it has shown to cause rashes or ulcers.

Is Beryllium a Cancer-Causing Agent?

Both the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHC) have reported that their findings indicate beryllium is indeed a carcinogen if the levels of exposure are high enough and occur over a sufficient length of time. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined beryllium a probable carcinogen. The EPA has stated that the odds of an individual developing lung cancer from beryllium inhalation are one in a thousand if the lifetime exposure is measured at 0.04 µg/m³.

How do I Test Myself for Beryllium Exposure?

Doctors can test for beryllium levels in the body by performing tests on a patient's blood or urine. Beryllium can also be measured from skin or lung samples as well. While these tests will indicate how much beryllium you have in your body, they cannot indicate your level of exposure or place a time stamp on your exposure.

For patients who are suffering from Chronic Beryllium Disease, a blood test called a Blood Beryllium Lymphocyte Proliferation Test (BeLPT) can be performed which will identify the sensitization of beryllium in the patient.

Beryllium

Atomic Number: 4

Symbol: Be

Atomic Weight: 9.01218

Discovery: 1798, Louis-Nicholas Vauquelin (France)

Electron Configuration: [He]2s2

Other Names: Glucinium or Glucinum

Word Origin: Greek: beryllos, beryl; Greek: glykys, sweet (note that beryllium is toxic)

Properties: Beryllium has a melting point of 1287+/-5°C, boiling point of 2970°C, specific gravity of 1.848 (20°C),

and valence of 2. The metal is steel-gray in color, very light, with one of the highest melting points of the light metals. Its modulus of elasticity is a third higher than that of steel. Beryllium has high thermal conductivity, is nonmagnetic, and resists attack by concentrated nitric acid. Beryllium resists oxidation in air at ordinary temperatures. The metal has a high permeability to x-radiation. When bombarded by alpha particles, it yields neutrons in the ratio of approximately 30 million neutrons per million alpha particles. Beryllium and its compounds are toxic and should not be tasted to verify the metal's sweetness.

Uses: Precious forms of beryl include aquamarine, morganite, and emerald. Beryllium is used as an alloying agent in producing beryllium copper, which is used for springs, electrical contacts, nonsparking tools, and spot-welding electrodes. It is used in many structural components of the space shuttle and other aerospace craft. Beryllium foil is used in x-ray lithography for making integrated circuits. It is used as a reflector or moderator in nuclear reactions. Beryllium is used in gyroscopes and computer parts. The oxide has a very high melting point and is used in ceramics and nuclear applications.

Sources: Beryllium is found in approximately 30 mineral species, including beryl (3BeO Al2O3 6SiO2), bertrandite (4BeO 2SiO2 H2O), chrysoberyl, and phenacite. The metal may be prepared by reducing beryllium fluoride with magnesium metal.

Element Classification: Alkaline-earth Metal

Density (g/cc): 1.848

Appearance: hard, brittle, steel-gray metal

Atomic Radius (pm): 112

Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 5.0

Covalent Radius (pm): 90

Ionic Radius: 35 (+2e)

Specific Heat (@20°C J/g mol): 1.824

Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 12.21

Debye Temperature (K): 1000.00

Pauling Negativity Number: 1.57

First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 898.8

Oxidation States: 2

Lattice Structure:Hexagonal

Lattice Constant (Å): 2.290

Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.567

Element Buddy- Beryllium

Beryllium (symbol Be) is the fourth element of the periodic table, with an average atomic mass of approximately 9.

It is not found in a pure form in nature, most commonly in the form beryllium aluminum silicate (Be3Al2Si6O18), a picture of which is below.

Pure Beryllium is brittle and greyish in color, also shown below. It is a solid at room temperature.



Beryllium aluminum silicate Pure Beryllium

The word Beryllium comes from Greek. It was also called Glucinium, from the Greek word for sweet, glykys. Beryllium tastes sweet, but should not be eaten to verify this.

The Egyptians knew of both emerald and beryl, both forms of beryllium aluminum silicate.

A French chemist, Nicholas Louis Vauquelin, determined Beryllium to be a distinct element in 1797, but it was not isolated until 1828, when the German chemist Friedrich Wöhler sucessfully isolated Beryllium from Beryllium Chloride.

The structure of a Beryllium atom is shown below.