Beryllium (version 1) - Periodic Table of Videos

[glenwoofit]

Beryllium is used in RF Output Transistors. If you open a PMR radio transceiver you sometimes find a skull and crossbones sticker inside...

[minraja]

So is beryllium a liquid metal or is it in powder form? I assume powder metal but I don't like to assume anything.

[AZURA888]

@minraja The beryllium sample of video is in powder, in powder is toxic, cause cancer, as a metal solid rod is nontoxic. Is more expensive than silver, so is only used in limited structural parts in high performance aircraft like SR71, or in high end diafragm of some danish speaker manufacturer is the strongest metal in the periodic table, forget titanium or the best steel, is strong metal in plate, as light as carbon fiber, 4 times stronger than steel by weight, titanium is 2,8 times

[usrevolution2]

Fr. Michael DeLisle Lyons, SJ (a Jesuit) of Detroit, Michigan supplied beryllium to the US Government for the initiators of our nuclear weapons from 1945 until his death in 1974 from Chronic Beryllium Lung Disease (Berylliosis). For the rest of the story Google "WWJ, A Jesuit and the Bomb," by me (Jeffrey Allan McQueen . . . Fr. Lyons' nephew).

[wowggscrub]

are neutron capture experiments dangerous other then the beryllium itself.

[phencyclidin]

AFAIK microwave ovens have beryllium oxide as a heat conducting electrical insulator

[culwin]

I'm licking my fingers RIGHT NOW!

OOO YEAH

[TotalNekro]

Beryllium is used in high end loudspeakers.

[LukeL007]

think of a granuloma as a reactionary tumor. The body detects irritation and forms a growth around the irritation to encase it.

[BlackBeastofAaaaagh]

We wouldn't be having LSD either. Hence no Psychedelic music, or arts.

[sciencoking]

Does anybody know where to get Beryllium? I´m an elements collector and would like to buy some of it.

[BlackBeastofAaaaagh]

I remember seeing in a documentary, a while ago, on nuclear proliferation, that high purity beryllium is a controlled substance due to it's necessity in making nuclear weapons and is unavailable to the public.

Sightly impure beryllium is available to the public though. I remember, back around 1995, a company made a handful of $20,000 bicycle frames. All the articles I've read indicate that SOLID beryllium is quite safe, so long as you don't try sanding it.

[sciencoking]

that´s right. beryllium metal is safe. but, like the woman said, dust and compounds are very dangerous. BUT there are many many other things that are only dangerous when in form of dust. like antimony or even zinc. yes, even zinc is toxic as dust....

[KarbineKyle]

You can get pure Beryllium metal from United Nuclear, I have a sample. It's very expensive though, and it's been out of stock, but I believe they do have some more. It comes in a "ball" and is about 0.7 to 1.2 grams. It's about ½ the size of a marble. I believe it is currently $20. I know it's $8 for shipping (for most items), and you have to be 21+ years old to order (I think). It's very small, but very light. It's also extremely hard and has a very high melting point. It is a poisonous metal.

[rekinu5]

well good chemists shouldnt lick their fingers anyway.

[bennemann]

I'm surprised how they forgot to mention how useful it is to the aerospace industry. Since it's so light and resistant, Beryllium is invaluable as a component of figher planes and spacecrafts.

[cpm1003]

We sometimes buy Beryllium Copper coil to run in our stamping presses. The salesman from NGK stopped by, and brought a nice sized sample of Beryllium metal. The sample was slightly larger than the vial shown in the video. After asking me if I was paranoid about its toxicity, he took the piece out of the plastic bag and handed it to me. While it looked like an ordinary lump of metal, it felt more like a piece of shiny plastic, since the density is so low. I washed my hands afterward.

[acronus]

I currently have a set of Beryllium Bronze wrenches at the shop. They are used in dangerous environments where fire is an issue (such as petroleum plants and grain elevators). Beryllium bronze tools don't create sparks when struck or dropped.

[Taffstreet]

I've worked with Beryllium copper alloys, the Beryllium is added to copper to add strenth whilst maintaining the electrical conductivity of the copper..

It can easily be electroplated, usually with silver, which is also a great electrical conductor and more tarnish resistant..

Good video, very interesting..

[Scotishirony]

Beryllium was used on the Nasa inferred telescope Spitzer to make the the lenses :D

[Bekkie8893]

Thank you so much for uploading this video! It has helped me get enough sources to pass my science research project!

Thanks so much

[mattlycra]

I'd like to see this video updated with the vial opened safely so we can see element.

[JeremyBechen]

Best quote I've ever encountered "You have to careful not to lick your fingers. Well, good chemists shouldn't like their fingers, anyway."

[blacksmithdog1]

Or put another way, artificial sweeteners were discovered by a bad chemist.

[matman16]

Well played.