Page 40 - The Periodic Table Book
P. 40
4
Be Beryllium
Discovery: 1797
4 4 5 State: Solid
Alkaline Earth Metals also be brown, green, Aquamarine
Forms
This mineral can
or orange.
These crystals have
this pale blue colour
due to iron impurities.
Laboratory sample of
pure beryllium
Beryllium is
found in more than
30 kinds of
mineral.
Chrysoberyl
Lightweight
metal
This widely used element gets its name much harder than the other metals in its
from the Greek word beryllos, after which group. Two common beryllium minerals are
the mineral beryl is also named. Beryllium chrysoberyl and beryl. Beryl has different
is the lightest of the alkaline earth metals, but forms, such as aquamarine and emerald.
it does not share many of the group’s properties. Beryllium is useful in many ways. For example,
38 For example, it does not react with water and is some military helicopters use windows made
038-039_Beryllium.indd 38 12/12/16 5:37 pm