Cesium by Johnathan Szymanowski “If we were to go to the sun, and to bring some portions of it and analyze them in our laboratories, we could not examine them more accurately than we can by this new mode of spectrum analysis.” (Warren de la Rue, 1861) An element with an atomic number of 55 was named from the Latin word ‘caesius’ meaning sky blue because of the blue lines hidden in its spectrum. An unfamiliar element that has many unique characteristics goes by the name of cesium or cesium as we like to call it in the U.S. Not as popular as the well known gases that we are surrounded with, cesium sure does pack an interesting history. Obscured from view, this element was almost discovered by Carl Plattner in 1896 while investigating the mineral pollucite or cesium aluminum silicate. To his disarray he managed to only account for 93% of the elements it contained and soon ran out of material to analyze. On later speculation it was realized that he mistook the cesium for sodium and potassium. Not to long after in 1860 two physicists by the name of Gustav Kirchhoff and Robert Bunsen discovered Cesium in Heidelberg, Germany. Using the method that they had invented, spectroscopy, Bunsen and Kirchhoff would scrutinize colored lines produced. The light that was seen was recognizable according to each individual element. So upon the examination of mineral …show more content…
The metal is characterized by a spectrum containing two bright lines in the blue along with several others in the red, yellow, and green wavelengths. Cesium is very ductile, or capable of being drawn into wires. Its melting point is 28.5°C or 83.3°F. All that’s needed is the warmth of your hand for cesium to melt, but it should never be handled that way! Cesium's boiling point is 705°C or 1,300°F, and its density is 1.90 grams per cubic centimeter. It is also the most electropositive and most alkaline