Peculiar behaviour of Beryllium

(Differences between Be and other members)

1:- Be has small size and  high electronegativity as compered to other members of its family.
2:- BE has high melting and boiling point than other members of its family(group!!A)
3:- Be is much harder than other members of its own family. Be is as hard as iron and can scratch glass.
4:- BE reacts with alkalies but other members of its family do not
                                  Be +2Naoh----------> Na2beo2+ H2
                                                                        (sodium berryllate)
5:- Be does not oxidize completely due to formation of BeO coating.
6:- Be cannot reduce water completely but other alkali earth metals act as powerful reducing agents for water.

 General behavior  of alkali metals

A substance which can lose electron is called reducing agent. Alkali metals are strong reducing agent due to Low ionization energies. They are highly electropositive and can form halides.