Beryllium
Statistics of Beryllium
Beryllium is a Chemical Element with an
Atomic Number : 4
Atomic Mass: 9.012 Atomic Mass Units
Atomic Symbol: Be
Melting Point:1287 °C
Atomic Number : 4
Atomic Mass: 9.012 Atomic Mass Units
Atomic Symbol: Be
Melting Point:1287 °C
Boiling Point:2470 °C
Valence Electrons: 2
Phase of Beryllium at room temperature: Solid
Group: Alkaline Earth Metals
Group Number: 2
Phase of Beryllium at room temperature: Solid
Group: Alkaline Earth Metals
Group Number: 2
Period Number: 2
Density:1.848 g/cm3
Density:1.848 g/cm3
Isotopes: 9Be
Allotropes: None
% in Universe: 1×10-7%
% in Earth's Crust: 0.00019%
% in Humans: 4×10-8%
% in Ocean: 6×10-11%
% in Sun: 1×10-8%
% in Meteorites: 1×10-7%
In a 1798 paper read before the Institut de France, Vauquelin reported that he found a new "earth" by dissolving aluminium hydroxide from emerald and beryl in an additional alkali. The editors of the journal Annales de Chimie et de Physique named the new earth "glucine" for the sweet taste of some of its compounds. Klaproth preferred the name "beryllina" due to fact that yttria also formed sweet salts. The name "beryllium" was first used by Wöhler in 1828.
Friedrich Wöhler and Antoine Bussy independently isolated beryllium in 1828 by the chemical reaction of metallic potassium with beryllium chloride.
Importance of Beryllium
Safety features like air bags and fire suppression sprinkler systems are maintained in a state of constant readiness, saving lives thanks to the reliability and strength of beryllium.
Beryllium is lightweight. Beryllium parts reduce the weight of end-use products like cars, trucks and planes, often resulting in better fuel economy. Relative to previous materials, copper beryllium alloy bearings and components can reduce the weight of a typical commercial aircraft by about 3,000 pounds. Annually over the commercial fleet, that means a savings of 3.3 million tons of jet fuel and 11 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Bad Effects of Beryllium
Direct contact with beryllium fumes or dusts may injure the exposed areas of the body, such as the eyes or the skin. Skin sensitization may also occur.
Acute beryllium disease may develop after a short and heavy exposure and usually last for less than one year. The disease has symptoms similar to pneumonia or bronchitis. occurrence of acute beryllium disease is now considered rare as long as protections are in place to control worker exposure to beryllium.
Experiment
Want to see a cool experiment on Beryllium? Click the Url Link to see the cool experiment.Beryllium Experiment.
Beryllium does not react with water as readily as Lithium but it still sizzles a bit.
How Beryllium is used and The History of Beryllium
Beryllium is used in alloys with copper or nickel to make gyroscopes, springs, electrical contacts, spot-welding electrodes and non-sparking tools. Mixing beryllium with these metals increases their electrical and thermal conductivity.
Other beryllium alloys are used as structural materials for high-speed aircraft, missiles, spacecraft and communication satellites.
Beryllium is relatively transparent to X-rays so ultra-thin beryllium foil is finding use in X-ray lithography. Beryllium is also used in nuclear reactors as a reflector or moderator of neutrons.
The oxide has a very high melting point making it useful in nuclear work as well as having ceramic applications.
The most commonly known effect of beryllium is called berylliosis, a dangerous and persistent lung disorder that can also damage other organs, such as the heart. In about 20% of all cases people die of this disease. Breathing in beryllium in the workplace is what causes berylliosis. People that have weakened immune systems are most susceptible to this disease.
Beryllium can also cause allergic reactions with people that are hypersensitive to this chemical. These reactions can be very heavy and they can even cause a person to be seriously ill, a condition known as Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD). The symptoms are weakness, tiredness and breathing problems. Some people that suffer from CBD will develop anorexia and blueness of hands and feet. Sometimes people can even be in such a serious condition that CBD can cause their death.
Next to causing berylliosis and CBD, beryllium can also increase the chances of cancer development and DNA damage.
Beryllium can also cause allergic reactions with people that are hypersensitive to this chemical. These reactions can be very heavy and they can even cause a person to be seriously ill, a condition known as Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD). The symptoms are weakness, tiredness and breathing problems. Some people that suffer from CBD will develop anorexia and blueness of hands and feet. Sometimes people can even be in such a serious condition that CBD can cause their death.
Next to causing berylliosis and CBD, beryllium can also increase the chances of cancer development and DNA damage.
Interesting Facts about Beryllium
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| Beryllium Ceramics |
- Beryllium is the 44th most abundant element in the earth’s crust.
- Beryllium is two-thirds the density of aluminum.
- By weight, beryllium has six times the specific stiffness of steel.
- Beryllium is non-magnetic.
- Only three countries, the United States, China, and Kazakhstan currently process beryllium ores and concentrates into beryllium products.
- Beryllium was discovered in 1798 by Louis-Nicholas Vauquelin.
- Beryllium is used in the Space Shuttle and the Spitzer Space Telescope – due to its strength and light weight.
- The next-generation James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to deploy in 2014, will depend on a 6.5 meter beryllium mirror to see objects 200 times fainter than visible before.
- Beryllium is a part of many of the things you rely on each day, including cellular phones, kitchen and laundry appliances, home temperature controls, MP3 players, desktop and portable computers, and your car.
- Beryllium ceramics are used to focus and control the lasers used in eye surgery
Be sure to check out my next post on Boron!
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