Rubidium
Is a chemical element.
Basic Information.
- The symbole of Rubidium is Rb.
- Atomic number 37
- Atomic mass 85.460
- Rubidium's period number is 5 and it's group number is alkali metals
- It is by Strontium and below Potassium.
- Rubidium has 37 Protons, 48 Nutrons, 37 Electrons
History
Rubidium was discovered in 1861 by Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff, in Heidelberg, Germany, in the mineral lepidolite through the use of a spectroscope. Because of the bright red lines in its emission spectrum, they chose a name derived from the Latin word rubidus, meaning "deep red".
Rubidium's characteristics
Characteristics: Rubidium is a soft, silvery-white metallic element. It is solid at room temperature but melts easily, at 39.3C Like the other group 1 metals, rubidium reacts violently with water, forming corrosive rubidium hydroxide and hydrogen gas, which is ignited by the heat of the reaction. Can also be used to create fireworks.
Where Rubidium is found in nature.
Rubidium is far too reactive to be found as the free metal in nature. It is relatively rare, although it is the 16th most abundant element in the earth's crust. Rubidium is present in some minerals found in North America, South Africa, Russia, and Canada.
Citations and links to information.
Chemicool. (2015). Rubidium. Retrieved December 18, 2015, from http://www.chemicool.com/elements/rubidium.html
Winter/Webelements, M. (2015). Rubidium»geological information [webelements periodic table]. Retrieved from http://www.webelements.com/rubidium/geology.html