The magnetic properties of certain beryllium compounds

Abstract

A study of the literature on the magnetic properties of beryllium shows that very little work has been done on the compounds of beryllium; and, in consequence, the recorded date is very sparse. The theoretical work of Angus and Farquerson on the susceptibilities of beryllium compounds suggested the existing values given in the International Tables were inaccurate and redetermination therefore necessary. The experimental work of Sugden on silver compounds, Spencer end Hollens on cadmium compounds ,and Trew on thalliumum compounds has shown that a systematic study of the compounds of any metal is useful in finding the atomic susceptibility of the metal. The present thesis is an account ox the experiments performed to determine the atomic susceptibility ox beryllium; but the values for the molecular susceptibilities of the compounds measured do not allow of the deduction of a satisfactory figure for this quantity directly. The unsatisfactory nature of the results for beryllium may be due to(i) the peculiar position of the element at the head of its group in the Periodic Table(ii) the smallness of the ion(iii) the tendency of beryllium to form basic salts and futher(iv) the value or beryllium being a small one, the accumulation of errors in measurement and the value of the other atoms resent in the salt will all be included in the beryllium value -end so the probability is that the experimental result will be wildly inaccurate.