Beryllium

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Revision as of 00:44, 17 April 2011 by imported>Milton Beychok (Added a bit of info)
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Beryllium
9.012182(3)



  Be
4
1s222
[ ? ] Alkaline Earth Metal:
Properties:
Steel-gray, low-density, brittle metal
Hazard:
Toxic, carcinogenic


Beryllium is a chemical element, having the chemical symbol Be. Its atomic number (the number of protons) is 4. It has a standard atomic weight of 9.012182 g•mol −1, and is typically found as a solid in its elemental form.

Beryllium is considered to be a member of the "Alkaline Earth Metal" class of element. At a pressure of 101.325 kPa, it has a boiling point of 2471 °C, and a melting point of 1287 °C

Beryllium is toxic to living organisms.

It is a strategic material in nuclear weapons, specifically acting as a neutron reflector surrounding the fission core, increasing its neutron density, and decreasing the size of the device. A beryllium reflector was first used operationally in the U.S. Mark 12 (nuclear weapon),