Rubidium
🛰️ In Your World
Rubidium is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal that is highly reactive. Its most important application is in specialized technology, particularly in atomic clocks. The precise and stable frequency of rubidium atoms makes these clocks incredibly accurate, which is essential for systems like GPS satellites. It is also used in some types of fireworks to give them a purple color.
📖 The Discovery Story
Rubidium was discovered in 1861 by German chemists Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff using their newly invented spectroscope. While analyzing the mineral lepidolite, they noticed a set of deep red spectral lines that did not match any known element. They named their new element "rubidium" from the Latin word rubidus, meaning "deepest red," in honor of its distinctive spectroscopic signature.
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 39.30 °C / 102.74 °F |
| Boiling Point | 688 °C / 1270 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Kr] 5s¹ |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.009% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Rubidium is one of the most reactive alkali metals. It ignites spontaneously in air and reacts violently and explosively with water, producing flammable hydrogen gas. It must be handled with extreme care and stored under an inert medium like mineral oil or in a sealed glass ampoule under an inert atmosphere.