Beryllium

Beryllium is the chemical element with atomic number 4. Its symbol is Be.

Beryllium
Properties
Atomic symbol	Be
Atomic number	4
Classification	Standard Metal
Atomic mass	9.01 amu
Other Information
Date of discovery	1798
Name of discoverer	Fredrich Wohler
Name origin	Derived from the mineral Beryl.
Uses	Spacecrafts, aircrafts, and missiles.
Obtained from	Beryl or Chrysoberyl.

Chemical Properties

Beryllium melts at 1560 Kelvin (K) and boils at 2742K. In its solid elemental form it is metallic.

Isotopes

There is only one stable isotope of beryllium, ⁹Be. A second isotope, ¹⁰Be, is commonly produced in Earth's atmosphere and accumulates at the surface of the soil. ¹⁰Be currently has a half-life of 1.36 million years and decays through proton capture to form a boron isotope, ^10sup>B.

Occurrence in Nature

Beryllium is very scarce in nature; it has an estimated occurrence of one part per billion (ppb) throughout the universe. It does not occur naturally ina pure form, only in a compound with other elements. Beryllium is a component in many gemstones.