Rubidium

Rubidium is a very soft, ductile, silvery-white metal. It is the second most reactive metal after cesium and the second most electropositive element. Rubidium was discovered in 1861 by German scientists Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff. Its name derives from the Latin word for red, in reference to rubidium’s prominent red spectral lines.

Rubidium and cesium often occur together in nature. Rubidium can be used to give fireworks a red-violet color. Rubidium chloride is used in biochemistry as a biomarker to track where potassium is taken up by living organisms.

Hydrogen

Identity.

Rubidium is a chemical element with the symbol Rb and atomic number 37. It is a soft, silvery-white metal that is highly reactive and readily tarnishes in air. Rubidium is the first element in the periodic table in the group of alkali metals, which are all highly reactive and form basic hydroxides.

History.

The history of rubidium is quite fascinating. Rubidium is a chemical element with the symbol Rb and atomic number 37. It is a soft, silvery-white metal that is highly reactive and must be stored in a dry, inert atmosphere. Rubidium was discovered in 1861 by Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff, who isolated it from the mineral lepidolite. The name "rubidium" comes from the Latin word "rubidus," meaning "deep red," a reference to the color of its emission spectrum.

Rubidium has a number of interesting properties that make it useful in various applications. For example, it is one of the most electropositive elements, meaning it readily donates its outermost electron. This property makes it a good candidate for use in batteries and fuel cells. Rubidium also has a very low melting point and a high boiling point, making it useful in high-temperature applications such as jet engines and rocket propellants.

Paracelsus
Paracelsus

In addition to its practical applications, rubidium has also played an important role in scientific research. For instance, rubidium-87 is used as a frequency standard in atomic clocks, which are essential for precise timekeeping and navigation systems. Rubidium is also used in quantum computing and other cutting-edge technologies.

Usage.

Rubidium is a relatively rare element, with an abundance of about 70 parts per million in the Earth's crust. It is found in a variety of minerals, including lepidolite, pollucite, and carnallite. Rubidium is also present in seawater, but at a very low concentration of about 1 part per million. Rubidium has a wide range of applications, including:

  • Atomic clocks: Rubidium is used in atomic clocks, which are the most accurate timekeeping devices in the world. Rubidium atoms vibrate at a very precise frequency, which is used to regulate the clock's timekeeping.
  • Medical imaging: Rubidium-82 is a radioactive isotope of rubidium that is used in medical imaging, particularly in positron emission tomography (PET) scans. PET scans are used to diagnose a variety of medical conditions, including cancer and heart disease.
  • High-temperature superconductors: Rubidium is used in the production of some high-temperature superconductors, which are materials that conduct electricity with no resistance at very low temperatures.
  • Batteries: Rubidium is used in some types of batteries, particularly in lithium-ion batteries. Rubidium helps to improve the battery's performance and lifespan.

Sources.

There are few independent minerals of rubidium, which generally coexist with rare metals such as lithium, beryllium, cesium, tantalum and niobium, and occur in granite pegmatites, such as lepidolite (K (Li,Al)3 (Si,Al) 4 O 10 (F,OH) 2), zinnwaldite (KLiFeAl [AlSi 3 O 10] (F,OH) 2), pollucite (Cs (AlSi 2 O 6)·H 2O), biotite, feldspar and salt lake and seawater.