Beryllium
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
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(3), 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 elements, 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. This was first used operationally in the U.S. Mark 12 (nuclear weapon),