Rubidium Is An Unusual Element In The Periodic Table

Rubidium is one of the many elements in the periodic table. It was discovered in 1861 by 2 German scientists, Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchoff who were using a spectrocopy to study samples of the mineral lepidolite, while they were studying this mineral they noticed deep red spectral line that they had never seen before, eventually Bunsen isolated the element of Rubidium Metal and it was official that he had found a new element. Rubidium is actually used as an element in fireworks to give them a purple glow, although it is not used very often due to the narrow temperature band it emits at. The elements’ chemical symbol is simple and can be easily found. Rubidium is one of the alkaline metals. Rubidium is located in the Group 1 Metals which

It has a low melting point of 312.45 Kelvin, and a significantly higher boiling point of 961 Kelvin. Rubidium is slightly conductive but not recommended to replace ordinary conductors like aluminum or copper . It has a density of 1.53 g/cm making it one of the least dense metals. Rubidium is nearly in liquid state so it has absolutely no ductility, But is otherwise extremely malleable.

Rubidium is an unusual element and has an astounding 29 isotopes, most of them being man made. There mass number ranges from 74 to 102. Rubidium-85 is the most abundant. Naturally occurring Rubidium is a mixture of 2 isotopes, Rubidium-85 and Rubidium-87.

Rubidium reacts very quickly with water. When it reacts it forms a colorless solution of RbOH and Hydrogen Gas. The reaction happens so quickly that if it were to be done in a glass jar it would shatter. Since Rubidium is very soft and easily cut it produces a shiny surface, However the surface tarnishes very quickly when exposed to oxygen and moisture in the air. Rubidium reacts forcefully with all halogens and forms rubidium halides. It reacts mostly to fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine. Rubidium dissolves into dilute sulphuric acid and forms solutions containing an aquated ion. When rubidium is exposed to a base solution it reacts the same exact way that it does to

There are no known elements of rubidium but it is found in high amounts in other minerals. It is found in nature mostly as a part of a compound.

Rubidium is used for very few commercial applications. They use the metal in rubidium to manufacture photocells and for removal of residual gases from vaccum tubes. The salts of rubidium are used in various glasses and ceramics, and also are used for the purple color that they burn at in fireworks. Some of their potential uses are in ion engines for space vehicles like the mars rover, and as working fluid in vapor turbines.

A common way of extracting Rubidium is running an electric current through molten Rubidium chloride. Another way they obtain pure rubidium is called solvent