Atomic Number: 37
Symbol: Rb
Atomic Weight: 85.4678
Say what? Rubidium is pronounced as roo-BID-ee-em.
Discovery: R. Bunsen, G. Kirchoff 1861 (Germany), discovered rubidium in the mineral petalite via its dark red spectral lines.
Element Classification: Alkali Metal
Density (g/cc): 1.532
Melting Point (K): 312.2
Boiling Point (K): 961
Appearance: soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal
Atomic Radius (pm): 248
Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 55.9
Covalent Radius (pm): 216
Ionic Radius: 147 (+1e)
Specific Heat (@20°C J/g mol): 0.360
Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 2.20
Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 75.8 …show more content…
It ignites spontaneously in air and reacts violently in water, setting fire to the liberated hydrogen. Thus, rubidium must be stored under dry mineral oil, in a vacuum, or in an inert atmosphere. It is a soft, silvery-white metallic element of the alkali group. Rubidium forms amalgams with mercury and alloys with gold, sodium, potassium, and cesium. Rubidium glows red-violet in a flame test.
Rubidium Trivia:
• Rubidium melts just a little above body temperature.
• Rubidium was discovered using spectroscopy. When Bunsen and Kirchoff examined their sample of petalite, they found two red spectral lines deep into the red part of the spectrum. They named their new element rubidium after the Latin word rubidus meaning 'deepest red'.
• Rubidium is the second most electropositive element.
• Rubidium can be used to give fireworks a red-violet color.
• Rubidium is the 23rd most abundant element in the Earth's crust.
• Rubidium chloride is used in biochemistry as a biomarker to track where potassium is taken up by living