| Beryllium |
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| Atomic Number - | 4 | Melting Point (°C,°F) - | 1287 °C, 2349 °F |
| Atomic Symbol - | Be | Boiling Point (°C,°F) - | 2469 °C, 4476 °F |
| Atomic Mass - | 9.01218 | Electron Configuration - | 1s2 2s2 |
| Group - | 2 | Electrons Per Shell - | 2, 2 |
| Period - | 2 | Protons - | 4 |
| Series - | Alkaline Earth Metals | Neutrons - | 5 |
| Block - | d-block | | |
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Element Description - Beryllium is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Be and atomic number 4. A toxic bivalent element, beryllium is a steel grey, strong, light-weight yet brittle, alkaline earth metal, that is primarily used as a hardening agent in alloys (most notably beryllium copper). |
Element Characteristics - Beryllium has one of the highest melting points of the light metals. The modulus of elasticity of beryllium is approximately 1/3 greater than that of steel. It has excellent thermal conductivity, is nonmagnetic and resists attack by concentrated nitric acid. It is highly permeable to X-rays, and neutrons are liberated when it is hit by alpha particles, as from radium or polonium (about 30 neutrons/million alpha particles). At standard temperature and pressures beryllium resists oxidation when exposed to air (although its ability to scratch glass is probably due to the formation of a thin layer of the oxide). |
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