Beryllium - Periodic Table of Videos

Summary

In this video, the presenter discusses beryllium, a rare and toxic metal with unique properties. Notably, it is transparent to X-rays, making it ideal for X-ray experiments. The video details the use of beryllium in creating a controlled environment for sensitive compounds, allowing X-rays to interact with samples without interference. Despite its high cost and health risks, beryllium's application in chemistry is highlighted, emphasizing the need for caution when handling this hazardous material.

Takeaways

• 🛡️ The instrument has a dome-shaped device made of beryllium to control the atmosphere inside.
• ⚠️ Beryllium is toxic and can cause berylliosis, an industrial lung disease, if inhaled.
• 🌐 Beryllium is transparent to X-rays, which is why it's used in X-ray experiments.
• 🔬 X-rays are absorbed by most materials, but beryllium allows them to pass through without interaction.
• 🧪 The beryllium dome is used to encase sensitive compounds for X-ray absorption experiments.
• 📚 Beryllium chloride is a linear molecule with beryllium in the center and two chlorine atoms.
• 🏗️ Beryllium's atomic number is 4, making it lightweight and ideal for X-ray applications.
• 💸 The cost of beryllium is significant; a small sample can cost up to 15,000 Euros.
• 🔬 Beryllium's low atomic number means X-rays are not scattered much when passing through it.
• ⚒️ Handling beryllium requires extreme caution to avoid toxic exposure and reactions.

Q & A

What is the primary function of the dome-shaped device made of beryllium?

The primary function of the dome-shaped device made of beryllium is to control the atmosphere inside it and allow X-rays to pass through without absorption, which is crucial for X-ray experiments on sensitive compounds.

Why is beryllium metal considered toxic?

Beryllium metal is toxic because it can cause berylliosis, an industrial lung disease, when inhaled as dust. It leads to the formation of swollen nodules in the lungs called granulomas.

What makes beryllium unique among other metals?

Beryllium is unique because it is transparent to X-rays and does not absorb them, unlike most other metals, especially those with higher molecular weights.

Where is beryllium located in the periodic table?

Beryllium is located near the beginning of the periodic table.

What is the significance of beryllium's atomic number?

Beryllium has an atomic number of 4, which means it is a lightweight element. This lightness allows X-rays to pass through it without significant interaction.

Why is beryllium used in X-ray diffractometers?

Beryllium is used in X-ray diffractometers because of its low atomic number and lightweight, which allows X-rays to pass through without scattering, providing clear images.

What is the cost of the beryllium sample mentioned in the script?

The cost of the small beryllium sample mentioned is 15,000 Euros.

How does beryllium compare to other materials in terms of X-ray interaction?

Beryllium is much less likely to scatter X-rays compared to heavier materials. It is likened to shining light through a glass window, whereas a heavy material would scatter X-rays like shining through paper.

What precautions are necessary when handling beryllium?

When handling beryllium, one must be very careful not to breathe in the dust, as even a single exposure can cause a sensitive reaction. Additionally, it is advised not to touch the beryllium with bare hands and then touch one's mouth.

What is the arrangement of atoms in beryllium chloride?

In beryllium chloride, the three atoms (two chlorine atoms and one beryllium atom) are arranged in a straight line, making it a linear molecule.

What is the purpose of the 'magic box' made of beryllium around the sample during X-ray experiments?

The 'magic box' made of beryllium is used to remove air from around the sample, allowing X-rays to interact with the sample without interference from the surrounding material.

Outlines

00:00

🔬 Beryllium's Unique Properties and Hazards

The paragraph discusses the special dome-shaped device on an instrument made from beryllium, a toxic metal with unique properties. Beryllium is transparent to X-rays, allowing it to be used in X-ray experiments without absorbing the radiation. Despite its usefulness in scientific experiments, especially with sensitive compounds, beryllium is hazardous due to its toxicity, which can cause berylliosis, an industrial lung disease. The speaker emphasizes the importance of handling beryllium with care to avoid exposure to its dust.

Keywords

💡Beryllium

Beryllium is a chemical element with the symbol Be and atomic number 4. It is a lightweight, strong, and brittle metal that is transparent to X-rays. In the script, beryllium is used to fabricate a dome-shaped device for an instrument, which allows for X-ray experiments without interference from the absorption of other materials. It is highlighted as a critical element for sensitive chemistry due to its unique property of not absorbing X-rays, making it ideal for scientific applications where X-ray transparency is necessary.

💡X-rays

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than those of visible light. They are widely used in medical imaging and scientific research due to their ability to penetrate certain materials. In the context of the video, X-rays are used to study sensitive compounds. The script mentions that X-rays are absorbed by everything, including air, which is why a beryllium-made 'magic box' is used to control the atmosphere and allow X-rays to interact with the sample without interference.

💡Berylliosis

Berylliosis is a lung disease caused by inhalation of beryllium particles, leading to the formation of swollen nodules in the lungs called granulomas. The script cautions against the toxicity of beryllium, emphasizing the need for careful handling to avoid exposure and the risk of developing this industrial lung disease.

💡Dome-shaped device

The dome-shaped device mentioned in the script is a specialized vessel made from beryllium metal. It is designed to control the atmosphere inside and protect sensitive compounds during X-ray experiments. The dome serves as a protective enclosure that allows X-rays to pass through without absorption, which is crucial for accurate measurements and analysis.

💡Toxic chemical

A toxic chemical is a substance that can cause harm or even death to living organisms when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. Beryllium is described as a toxic metal in the script, which is why the speaker is careful not to let it escape into the environment. The toxicity of beryllium is underscored as a significant concern in its handling and use.

💡Chemical properties

Chemical properties are characteristics that a substance displays during or after a chemical reaction. Beryllium is described as having 'strange metallic properties' in the script, one of which is its transparency to X-rays. This property is particularly important for its use in scientific instruments, as it allows for the study of compounds via X-ray analysis without interference from the container material.

💡Linear molecule

A linear molecule is one in which the atoms are arranged in a straight line. Beryllium chloride is mentioned as an example of a linear molecule in the script, with two chlorine atoms and one beryllium atom arranged in a row. This configuration is significant in chemistry as it influences the molecule's chemical behavior and reactivity.

💡X-ray diffractometers

X-ray diffractometers are instruments used to study the structure of crystalline materials by analyzing the diffraction patterns produced when X-rays are directed at them. In the script, it is noted that beryllium is used in X-ray diffractometers due to its lightweight and atomic number, which allows X-rays to pass through without significant interaction or scattering.

💡Periodic table

The periodic table is a tabular arrangement of chemical elements by atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties. Beryllium is mentioned as being near the beginning of the periodic table, indicating its low atomic number and position in the table. This placement is significant as it relates to beryllium's chemical and physical properties.

💡Sensitive compound

A sensitive compound in the context of the script refers to a chemical substance that is easily affected by its environment, such as air, which can alter its properties or behavior. The script discusses conducting X-ray experiments on such a compound, necessitating the use of a beryllium dome to control the atmosphere and prevent interference with the X-ray analysis.

💡Cost

The cost mentioned in the script refers to the high price of beryllium, which is significant due to its rarity and the specialized processes required to safely handle and fabricate it. The high cost of beryllium (15,000 Euros for a small sample) underscores the value and the caution required in its use, especially given its toxicity.

Highlights

The instrument has a dome-shaped device made of beryllium to control the atmosphere inside.

Beryllium is toxic and must be handled with care.

Beryllium is transparent to X-rays, making it ideal for certain scientific applications.

Beryllium-laden dust can cause berylliosis, an industrial lung disease.

Beryllium is rarely encountered despite being near the beginning of the periodic table.

Beryllium is used in X-ray experiments to control the atmosphere around sensitive compounds.

Beryllium's atomic number is 4, making it lightweight and ideal for X-ray applications.

Beryllium allows X-rays to pass through without interaction, which is crucial for sensitive chemistry.

The beryllium sample used in the experiment costs 15,000 Euros.

Beryllium's low atomic number means X-rays are not scattered much when interacting with it.

Beryllium is used in X-ray diffractometers due to its light weight and atomic properties.

Beryllium chloride is a linear molecule with beryllium atoms arranged in a row.

Beryllium is very poisonous, and even one exposure can cause a sensitive reaction in some people.

Chemists must be cautious not to breathe in beryllium dust or lick their fingers after handling it.

Beryllium's unique properties make it valuable for advanced chemistry experiments.

The beryllium dome on the instrument is a special vessel for controlling the atmosphere inside.

Beryllium's transparency to X-rays is a key feature for its use in scientific instruments.

Transcripts

So you can see on the front of this instrument is a dome shaped device. That dome is a special

vessel which is made so we can control the atmosphere inside and it is fabricated from

beryllium metal.

This is the beryllium which I don’t really want to get out.

Why not?

Well, because it is a toxic chemical, a toxic metal.

Beryllium is an interesting element because most chemists don’t really know about it

very much at all.

So beryllium is a fantastic metal, it is really, really interesting, it’s got really lots

of strange metallic properties, but one of the most important to me is that it is transparent

to x-rays. So I can shine x-rays straight through the beryllium and the beryllium does

not absorb it at all which most other metals especially those with higher molecular weights

do.

Beryllium-laden dust has been shown to cause berylliosis which is actually an industrial

lung disease which causes the formation of swollen nodules in the lungs called granulomas

which is a bit gross, so I don’t really want to open up the jar.

It’s near the beginning of the periodic table, but we rarely come across it.

So at the moment we are at Matt’s lab and we are doing some x-ray experiments on a really,

really quite sensitive compound. So X-rays themselves are absorbed by everything, ok,

so when we shoot it through the air it is absorbed by the air, so to measure the x-ray

absorption of our compound which is sensitive to the air we need to be able to remove the

air and encase it so we use beryllium to make a magic box around our sample, that the x-rays

can come into, interact with our sample, and then exit without interacting with the material

around them. So you can see on the front of this instrument, there is a dome shaped device,

that dome, is a special vessel which is made so that we could control the atmosphere inside

and it is fabricated from beryllium metal.

I talk about in my lectures, I explain that beryllium chloride the molecule that has three

atoms, two chlorine atoms and one beryllium atom, has the three atoms arranged in the

row, so it is a straight molecule so called linear molecule. I have never seen beryllium

chloride.

Chemists use it on x-ray defractometers because actually it is so lightweight it is actually

got atomic number 4.

The beryllium allows the x-rays to come in and out without interacting at all. It is

a fantastic device it is really useful for really sensitive chemistry, it is a really

beautiful application. The cost of that beryllium though, that is significant, that small beryllium

sample cost 15,000 Euros.

It only has four protons and a number of neutrons so if x-rays fall on atoms of beryllium they

are not scattered very much so it’s like the difference between shining light through

a glass window and if you made it out of a heavy material it would be like, shining through

paper, it would be scattered you wouldn’t get a good image.

I’m hoping to actually do some chemistry with beryllium which is why I’ve bought

it. It is pretty toxic so we are going to have to be very, very careful. You can’t

actually breathe in the dust at all, cause even actually one exposure has shown with

some people one exposure is enough to cause this sort of sensitive reaction.

But beryllium is very poisonous so if you do use these beryllium windows, you have to

be careful not to lick your fingers. Well good chemists shouldn’t lick their fingers

anyway.