5B:1s22s22p1 4Be:1s22s2 First ionisation enthalpy of B is lower than Be because Be has a stable electronic configuration. It required more energy to remove the first electron from 2s( in Be ) than 2p (in B) because 2se− has more penetration power than 2p. Therefore options (I), (II) and (III) are correct. Atomic radius of B is less than Be.