Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Beryllium is a chemical element with the symbol Be and atomic number 4. It's a relatively rare element in both the universe and on Earth, and it's known for its stiffness, light weight, and resistance to heat.
The mass of an atom of a chemical element expressed in atomic mass units. It is approximately equivalent to the number of protons and neutrons in the atom.
Alkaline Earth Metals: A group of chemical elements in the periodic table with very similar properties. They are all shiny, silvery-white metals that includes beryllium.