beryllium

[ buh-ril-ee-uhm ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a steel-gray, bivalent, hard, light, metallic element, the salts of which are sweet: used chiefly in copper alloys for better fatigue endurance, in springs, and in electrical contacts. : Be; : 9.0122; : 4; : 1.8 at 20° C.

beryllium

/ bɛˈrɪlɪəm /

noun

1. a corrosion-resistant toxic silvery-white metallic element that occurs chiefly in beryl and is used mainly in X-ray windows and in the manufacture of alloys. Symbol: Be; atomic no: 4; atomic wt: 9.012; valency: 2; relative density: 1.848; melting pt: 1289°C; boiling pt: 2472°C Former namesglucinumglucinium

beryllium

/ bə-rĭl′ē-əm /

1. A hard, lightweight, steel-gray metallic element of the alkaline-earth group, found in various minerals, especially beryl. It has a high melting point and is corrosion-resistant. Beryllium is used to make sturdy, lightweight alloys and aerospace structural materials. It is also used as a neutron moderator in nuclear reactors. Atomic number 4; atomic weight 9.0122; melting point 1,278°C; boiling point 2,970°C; specific gravity 1.848; valence 2.
2. See Periodic Table

Word History and Origins

Origin of beryllium¹

1860–65; < Latin bēryll ( us ) beryl + -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of beryllium¹

C19: from Latin bēryllus , from Greek bērullos

Example Sentences

The fourth element to be formed was beryllium.

From Salon

They found that both carbon 14 and beryllium 10 shot up at the same time.

From Scientific American

Specifically, the scientists compared a radiocarbon spike in those ancient tree rings with measurements of beryllium, an element found in Greenland ice cores that likewise provide records of ancient solar activity.

From Salon

Loeb says traces of three rare elements — beryllium, lanthanum and uranium — suggest the spheres come from outside of our solar system.

From Salon

However, five of the spherules were unusually enriched in beryllium and lanthanum, and, to a lesser degree, uranium.

From Science Magazine