The First Annual The First Annual Mr. or Ms. Element ContestMr. or Ms. Element Contest

Introducing the incredibly light Introducing the incredibly light

Mr. Mr. BerylliumBeryllium

Hi, my name is Beryllium and here Hi, my name is Beryllium and here are some pictures of me in my raw are some pictures of me in my raw form:form:

Here are some of my fashion shots, me in Here are some of my fashion shots, me in gem form, when I’m mixed with gem form, when I’m mixed with

aluminum, silicon, and oxygen. Just look how aluminum, silicon, and oxygen. Just look how stunning I am in Emerald, Sapphire, stunning I am in Emerald, Sapphire,

Aquamarine and Beryl.Aquamarine and Beryl.

As you can see I’m a metal. That means that I’m As you can see I’m a metal. That means that I’m shinny, and a good conductor of heat and shinny, and a good conductor of heat and

electricity. I can be mixed with other metals to electricity. I can be mixed with other metals to make important ALLOYS.make important ALLOYS.

My PropertiesMy Properties Interesting Interesting FactsFacts About About Me Me

Color - steel-grayColor - steel-gray Melting point – 1,287Melting point – 1,287°C°C Boiling point – 2,970Boiling point – 2,970°C°C NonmagneticNonmagnetic Resists oxidation (doesn’t Resists oxidation (doesn’t

rust)rust) Density of 1.848 g/cmDensity of 1.848 g/cm3 3 - -

wow, that’s much less than wow, that’s much less than aluminum - 2.7 g/cmaluminum - 2.7 g/cm33

Very brittle, a third higher Very brittle, a third higher than steel.than steel.

High thermal conductivity High thermal conductivity and electrical conductivityand electrical conductivity

I’m a carcinogen (I cause I’m a carcinogen (I cause cancer if inhaled or cancer if inhaled or exposed to skin or eyes)exposed to skin or eyes)

I’m the lightest of all stable I’m the lightest of all stable metals (lithium catches fire metals (lithium catches fire if exposed to water).if exposed to water).

A beryllium bicycle frame A beryllium bicycle frame costs $25,000costs $25,000

When mixed with copper, When mixed with copper, beryllium makes a metal beryllium makes a metal called beryllium bronze, is called beryllium bronze, is used in gasoline pumps used in gasoline pumps because it does not cause because it does not cause sparks, which would be an sparks, which would be an explosion risk. explosion risk.

Alkaline Earth Metal FamilyAlkaline Earth Metal FamilyThe alkaline earth metals are in the second group of the periodic table. Some characteristics of alkaline earth metals are:

•Not found freely in nature

•Present in the earth's crust but not in their basic form

•Distributed in rock structure

•High boiling points

•High melting points

•Low density

•Silver in color

•Ductile

•Malleable

•Softer and stronger than most other metals (except the alkali metals)

So who discovered me?

In 1798 a French chemist, Louis-Nicholas Vauquelin figured out that beryl and emeralds contained a mysterious, unknown element. Scientists were not able to isolate that element until about 30 years later. Scientists once called beryllium "glucinum," another word for sweet, because it has a sugary taste on the tongue. This was before they realized beryllium also is extremely poisonous.

Louis-Nicholas Vauquelin

Atomic structure-or what I Atomic structure-or what I look like on the insidelook like on the inside

My Atomic Number is 4 and my Atomic mass Number is 9, therefore I have 4 protons and5 neutrons in my nucleus and 4 electrons on the outside.

So where can you find me?So where can you find me?Most beryllium in the world, about two-thirds of the globe's supply, comes from bertrandite ore mined in Utah in the United States. Most of the rest of it comes from beryl ores in China, although a handful of other countries also have mines with small amounts of beryl. People also are able to capture some beryllium for reuse through recycling.

Who named me beryllium and Who named me beryllium and why?why?

The name beryllium 

comes from Latin: Beryllus

and French: Béryl,

"to become pale,"

in reference to the pale

semiprecious gemstone

beryl.

Of beryllium's isotopes, only 9Be is stable and the others are relatively unstable or rare. It is thus a monoisotopic element.That means there’s only one useful isotope of Beryllium.