Page 34 - The Periodic Table Book

37
Rb Rubidium

Discovery: 1861
37 37 48 State: Solid
Alkali Metals Forms rubidium in an airless vial mineral Leucite up to 3.5% rubidium.
This soft mineral contains

Pale,
waxy

Laboratory sample of pure

Pollucite Lepidolite

Rubidium makes
up only about
1 per cent
of this mineral.

This glass case contains
pure rubidium, preventing
it from coming into contact
with air and catching fire.

This ore
contains caesium
and rubidium.

Rubidium was named after the Latin word heat. Rubidium is not often concentrated in
rubidius, meaning “deepest red”. This refers particular minerals, but instead is spread in small
to the red-coloured flame it produces when amounts through a wide range of minerals, such
burned. This highly reactive element ignites on as leucite and pollucite. The pure metal is
contact with air. On contact with water, it reacts sourced mainly from the mineral lepidolite.
32 vigorously, producing hydrogen gas and a lot of Another mineral called rubicline has even more

032-033_Rubidium.indd 32 12/12/16 5:37 pm