Why do Berelium and Aluminium form Oxide Layers when kept in oxygen containers?
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they oxidize. they are positive (+2, +3....), so have empty spots in their electron shell.  they want to stabilize, so absorb some electrons.  oxygen has -2, they go together and stabilize.\nmetals are reactive in pure metal form, like pure sodium metal. so they are usually submerged in a liquid, or kept in with another gas. like pure sodium metal is submerged in kerosene (i think, kerosene)
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Zirconium mimics aluminum as far as it's uses and combustibility. For instance, it can be used in pyrotechnics in much the same way as aluminum powder. However, it is more reactive that aluminum and can be used for instance in flash bulbs that ignite with pizo electricity - the old 'magic cubes' used zirconium wool in them.\n\nThe main thing that makes it more reactive is less of a tendency to form a non reactive coating in air like aluminum tends to do.
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Depends on the application you have for the copper. You can shield it from oxygen and other corrosive agents using a protective atmosphere.\n\nAt 500°C exposed to atmospheric oxygen you will want a solid metal with a stable passivizing surface or too noble to react. Titanium or platinum will probably be overkill, stainless steel may discolour.\n\nOr you might be thinking about a sacrificial anode, leaving the copper intact but dissolving the connected material (e.g. zinc or magnesium).
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Hard to say without a picture or to see the process. Gas pressure? Wind? Contaminants in the metal? Wrong gas mixture?\nHere's a couple of links that may help..
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The magnesium metal buried nearby provides protection from corrosion.  “Corrosion” is the technical name for the chemical reaction that takes place when a metal combines with oxygen.  Magnesium acts as an anode and protects the iron or steel tank by corroding in preference to the iron or steel tank.  This means that instead of Iron giving up electrons that attach to the oxygen atoms(which causes corrosion), the Magnesium releases the electrons.  The Magnesium and Oxygen atoms combine to form magnesium oxide while Iron does not take part in the chemical reaction and is thus protected.\n\nThe corrosion of a magnesium anode in preference to steel is an example of galvanic protection.
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Let's say you're really hungry. If I lock a cupcake in a metal box and give you the box can you get to the cupcake without a key?\n\nNope.\n\nMetal oxides work the same way. By coating a metal in a desirable oxide (ie. as in aluminium anodizing) you're sealing the unprotected metal from more harmful forms of oxidization. If oxygen can't react with the surface of the metal because its already reacted with something else to form an oxide. Because of that you just prevented further oxidization BY oxidizing. There's no key, no reaction, to further degrade the metal underneith.\n\nThere are other things besides oxide coatings that can keep good ole' redox at bay. One is called a sacrificial anode and its commonly used on exposed metal on things like oil rigs.
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Chromium dioxide or chromium(IV) oxide is a synthetic magnetic substance once widely used in magnetic tape. With the increasing popularity of CDs and DVDs, the use of chromium(IV) oxide has declined. However, it is still used in data tape applications for enterprise-class storage systems. It is still considered today by many oxide and tape manufacturers to have been the most perfect magnetic recording particulate ever invented.\n\nChromium(III) oxide doesn't have any industrial significance.
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They are inert and so don't react with other elements/compounds.  Often used in situations where oxidation would occur if oxygen was present.\n\nExample:  Xenon is car head lights.  Get very hot and the filaments would oxidise (burn up) if oxygen was present.
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WARNING:  Answer is NOT OXYGEN.\n\nIt is true that when metals rust, it forms metal oxides.  But by definition, Catalyst Speeds up the process of the Rxn but does not get used up.  However as you can see in the equation below, Oxygen is consumed with metal to for metal oxide.  Therefore Oxygen CAN'T be a catalyst.  It is a reactant.\n\nFe + O2 ---> Fe2O3\n\nThe Correct answer is SALT.  (Sodium in NaCl for an example)\n  \nRust is the process of metal oxidizing into metal oxide.  The oxidation needs a transfer medium to occur, such as water. Salt in the water speeds up the oxidation process by acting as a catalyst.  The salt is never used up and the problem with salt is that even when water is gone, it remains and wait to restart the forming of rust once more moisture is present.  This is why metals rust much easily in salty areas such as beaches and cold states where they use salt to melt the icy roads.   \n\nI hope you get my answer in time, if this question if for school.  I know I'm against 3 answers here but let my past records of best answers speak for itself.
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http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/be.html\n\nthis website may help you!!!!!! ( hope you get an A)
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Forget the potassium ions - they don't do anything. The aluminium metal dissolves in the potassium hydroxide solution, forming aluminate ions and hydrogen gas.\n\nThe ionic equation is:\n\n2Al + 2OH- + 6H2O ---> 2[Al(OH)4]- + 3H2\n\nTo explain how to get this equation, you need the ideas of half equations, and oxidation and reduction.\n\nFor example, Al + 4OH- ---> [Al(OH)4]- + 3e-\n\nand 4H2O + 4e- ----> 2H2 + 4OH-\n\nNow combine them, getting the number of electrons equal, and cancelling down some hydroxide ions.\n\nIf it's any consolation, this exercise would be beyond most A-level pupils in the UK.
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(m)\n\nBarium is so reactive it is stored under oil.\n\nstrontium is typically stored under kerosene.
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Corrosion occurs when a material is exposed to oxygen (oxidation). The best way to avoid oxidation is by protecting the material from coming in touch with the oxygen by painting over it or sealing it in any other way.
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a) Sr, Mg, Be \nRationale: they are all in the same group (II), but because Sr has the most energy levels, it has greater shielding and lower effective nuclear force, so it is easiest for it to give up an electron.  Be has the lowest number of energy levels, so it has less shielding and greater effective nuclear force, so it clings to its electrons more, requiring greater force to take away an electron.  \nb) Cs, Ba, Bi\nRationale: They are all in the same period, so shielding and effective nuclear force are not variables.  Instead, we look at stability.  Cs is in group one, meaning that it only needs to lose one electron to reach a stable octet.  The electron configuration of Bi gives exactly 1 electron per p orbital (try writing it out), so it's somewhat stable already; taking away an electron would mess with that stability.  Ba is somewhere in between.  \nc) Na, Al, S\nRationale: group I elements always have lower ionization energies in the same period because they only have to lose one electron, so sodium goes first.  Next is aluminum, which only has to lose one electron to be totally rid of electrons in its p orbitals.  Last is sulfur, which will lose one electron to have one electron in each of its p orbitals, which is less stable than the other two.
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Although there is a general trend toward an increase in the first ionization energy as we go from left to right across this row, there are two minor inversions in this pattern. The first ionization energy of boron is smaller than beryllium, and the first ionization energy of oxygen is smaller than nitrogen.\n\nTo read about why, follow the link. It's really hard to explain
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Its a salt of beryllium and is toxic and is mainly used to extract the beyllium from it and hence is an mineral. Beryllium is used in aerospace and defense industry as light weight structural material. Beryllium is used in nuclear weapons for similar reasons. \n\n\nBeryllium is used as an alloying agent in the production of beryllium-copper because of its ability to absorb large amounts of heat. Beryllium-copper alloys are used in a wide variety of applications because of their electrical and thermal conductivity, high strength and hardness, nonmagnetic properties, along with good corrosion and fatigue resistance. These applications include the making of spot-welding electrodes, springs, non-sparking tools and electrical contacts.\n\n\nThin sheets of beryllium foil are used with X-ray detection diagnostics to filter out visible light and allow only X-rays to be detected.\n\n\nBecause it has a low thermal neutron absorption cross section, the nuclear power industry uses this metal in nuclear reactors as a neutron reflector and moderator
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Chromium is added to the steel. This actually provides a hard oxidation layer. So basically, there is already a layer of oxide (kinda like rust), but it doesn't flake off like the redish type rust you might see on your car. This layer actually protects the rest of the material, by keeping other impurities from reacting with the interior (or exterior).