2. The name of the chemical
element beryllium is derived
from the Greek word beryllos=
pale. From the mineral beryl
In 1798 Louis-Nicholas
Vauquelin, a French chemist,
discovered that an unknown
element was present in
emeralds and beryl.
Beryllium was first found in
emeralds from the mountains of
France and California.
3. Beryllium is a solid at room
temperature with the density
of 1.85 g/cm3
Color: gray.
Melting point: 1278 °C
Boiling point: 2970.0 °C
It is also required in those
applications where an
excellent head conductor,
with high strength and
hardness and with a very
high melting point is needed.
Even it should act as an
electrical insulator.
4. Beryllium is found in Scientists know that the
approximately 30 mineral current exposure limit for
species, including beryl beryllium set by the
(3BeO Al2O3 6SiO2), Occupational Safety and
bertrandite (4BeO 2SiO2 Health Administration of 2
H2O), chrysoberyl, and micrograms of airborne
phenacite. The metal may be beryllium per cubic meter of
prepared by reducing air per 8-hour day leaves a
beryllium fluoride with significant percentage of
magnesium metal. workers, at risk.
Simply reducing current
Beryllium is widely used in exposure limits may not
spite of its relatively high reduce the number of workers
cost of over $400 per pound stricken with chronic
because for certain critical beryllium disease (CBD),
applications it performs which results in death in about
better than alternatives. 30% of sufferers.
5. Beryllium is relatively Beryllium is alloyed with
transparent to X-rays and is copper (2% beryllium, 98%
used to make windows for copper) to form a wear
X-ray tubes. When exposed resistant material, known as
to alpha particles, such as beryllium bronze, used in
those emitted by radium or gyroscopes and other devices
polonium, beryllium emits where wear resistance is
neutrons and is used as a important.
neutron source. Beryllium is Beryllium is alloyed with
also used as a moderator in nickel (2% beryllium, 98%
nuclear reactors nickel) to make springs, spot-
Used in spacecraft, missiles, welding electrodes and non-
aircraft sparking tools.
In the making of gyroscopes, Other beryllium alloys are
various computer used in the windshield, brake
equipment, watch springs disks and other structural
and instruments that components of the space
requires light-weight, shuttle.
rigidity and dimensional
stability.
6. Beryllium and its
compounds are toxic and
should not be tasted to verify
the metal's sweetness.
Beryllium metal is extremely
stiff and lightweight and has
a modulus of elasticity
almost 50 percent greater
than that of steel with only
about one-fourth the weight
Beryllium has one of the
highest melting points of the
light metals
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2011. <http://www.mineralszone.com/minerals/beryllium.html>.
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Table of the Elements. Web. 18 Nov. 2011.
<http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/be.html>.
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Projects, and Chemistry Homework Help. Web. 18 Nov. 2011.
<http://chemistry.about.com/od/elementfacts/a/beryllium.htm>.
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<http://www.americanmachinist.com/304/Issue/Article/False/21682/Issue>.
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