Beryllium - ASCII Periodic Table of the Elements

ASCII PERIODIC TABLE OF THE ELEMENTS

  Be

Relative atomic mass: 9.012182 ± 0.000003

English: Beryllium
French: Béryllium
Croatian: Berilij
German: Beryllium
Italian: Berillio
Spanish: Berilio

Atomic number: 4
Group numbers: 2
Period: 2
Standard state (20 °C): solid

Discovery: 1798 Louis-Nicholas Vauquelin (FR)

Beryllium was discovered by Louis-Nicholas Vauquelin (FR) in 1798. The origin of the name comes from the Greek word 'beryllos' meaning mineral 'beryl'; also called glucinium from the Greek word 'glykys' meaning 'sweet'. It is a steel-grey metal resistant to attack by concentrated nitric acid. It has excellent thermal conductivity and is nonmagnetic. At ordinary temperatures, it resists oxidation in air. Beryllium and its salts are toxic and should be handled with the greatest of care. Beryllium is found mostly in minerals like beryl [AlBe3(Si6O18)] and chrysoberyl (Al2BeO4). Pure beryllium is obtained by chemically reducing beryl mineral and by electrolysis of beryllium chloride. Its ability to absorb large amounts of heat makes it useful in spacecrafts, missiles, aircrafts, etc. Emeralds are beryl crystals with chromium traces giving them their green colour.

Electronic configuration: [He] 2s²
Formal oxidation number: +2
Atomic radius: 111.3 pm

Electronegativities: 1.57
Thermal conductivity: 200 W/(m K)
Electrical resistivity (20 °C): 4 μΩcm

Melting point: 1287 °C
Boiling point: 2471 °C

Heat of fusion: 9.8 kJ/mol
Heat of vaporization: 308.8 kJ/mol
Heat of atomization: 320.3 kJ/mol