Beryllium (Be)
"The Emerald Shield an incredibly strong yet lightweight hero, transparent to energy rays."
A memorable persona to anchor Be in your mind.
1.85
Grams per cm³
1287
Celsius (°C)
153
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
The precious gemstone, emerald.
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1798
Discovered By
Louis-Nicolas Vauquelin
Origin of Name
"The name is derived from the Greek name for beryl, ''beryllo''."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
9.012 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
2468°C
Electron Configuration
[He] 2s2
1st Ionization Energy
9.323 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"A hard, lightweight, steel-gray metal."
Did You Know?
It is a key component of emeralds and aquamarines, which are forms of the mineral beryl.
The metal is transparent to X-rays, making it useful for creating "windows" in X-ray machines and particle detectors.
Despite its strength, inhaling beryllium dust can cause a chronic, life-threatening lung disease called berylliosis.
The James Webb Space Telescope's mirrors are made of beryllium plated with gold because it is both strong and lightweight, and holds its shape at cryogenic temperatures.