Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Rubidium shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Rubidium offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Rubidium at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Rubidium? Wrong! If the Rubidium is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Rubidium then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Rubidium? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Rubidium and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Rubidium wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Rubidium then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Rubidium site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Rubidium, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Rubidium, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Elementbox_isotopes_decay2 | mn=83 | sym=Rb| na=[synthetic radioisotope | hl=86.2 [day
| dm1=[electron capture | de1=- | pn1=83 | ps1=[krypton
| dm2=[gamma radiation | de2=0.52, 0.53,
0.55 | pn2= | ps2=- -->
{{Elementbox_isotopes_decay4 | mn=84 | sym=Rb| na=[synthetic radioisotope | hl=32.9 d
| dm1=ε | de1=- | pn1=84 | ps1=[krypton
| dm2=[positron emission | de2=1.66, 0.78 | pn2=84 | ps2=[krypton
| dm3=γ | de3=0.881 | pn3= | ps3=-
| dm4=[beta decay | de4=0.892 | pn4=84 | ps4=[strontium -->
{{Elementbox_isotopes_decay2 | mn=86 | sym=Rb| na=[synthetic radioisotope | hl=18.65 d
| dm1=β- | de1=1.775 | pn1=86 | ps1=[strontium
| dm2=γ | de2=1.0767 | pn2= | ps2=- -->
{{Elementbox_isotopes_decay | mn=87 | sym=Rb| na=27.835% | hl=4.88×1010 [year
| dm=β- | de=0.283 | pn=87 | ps=[strontium -->
Rubidium (International Phonetic Alphabet: ) is a chemical element in the
periodic table that has the symbol
Rb and
atomic number 37. Rb is a soft, silvery-white metallic element of the alkali metal group. Rb-87, a naturally occurring isotope, is (slightly)
radioactive. Rubidium is very soft and highly reactive, with properties similar to other elements in group 1, like rapid oxidation in Earth's atmosphere.
Notable characteristics
Rubidium is the second most electropositive of the stable alkaline elements and liquefies at high ambient temperature (102.7°F = 39.3°C). Like other group 1 elements this metal reacts violently in water. In common with potassium and caesium this reaction is usually vigorous enough to ignite the liberated hydrogen. Rubidium has also been reported to ignite spontaneously in air. Also like other alkali metals, it forms
amalgams with mercury (element) and it can form
alloys with gold, caesium,
sodium, and potassium. The element gives a Red-Violet (color) color to a flame, hence its name.
Uses
Potential or current uses of rubidium include:
- A Bose-Einstein condensate.
- A working fluid in vapor turbines.
- A getter in vacuum tubes.
- A photocell component.
- The resonant element in atomic clocks. This is due to the hyperfine structure of Rubidium's energy levels.
- An ingredient in special types of glass.
- The production of superoxide by burning in oxygen.
- The study of potassium ion channels in biology.
- Rubidium vapor has been used to make atomic magnetometer. 87Rb is currently being used, with other alkali metals, in the development of spin-exchange relaxation-free SERF.http://scitation.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=APPLAB000089000013134105000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=yes
Rubidium is easily ionized, so it has been considered for use in
ion engines for space vehicles (but
caesium and
xenon are more efficient for this purpose).
Rubidium compounds are sometimes used in
fireworks to give them a purple color.
Rbsilver4
iodine5 has the highest room temperature
electrical conductivity of any known ionic crystal. This property could be useful in thin film battery (electricity) and in other applications.
Rubidium has also been considered for use in a thermoelectric generator using the magnetohydrodynamics principle, where rubidium ions are formed by heat at high temperature and passed through a
magnetic field. These conduct
electricity and act like an armature (electrical engineering) of a generator thereby generating an electric current.
Rubidium, particularly 87Rb, in the form of vapor, is one of the most commonly-used atomic species employed for laser cooling and
Bose-Einstein condensation. Its desirable features for this application include the ready availability of inexpensive diode laser light at the relevant wavelength, and the moderate temperatures required to obtain substantial vapor pressures.
Rubidium has been used for polarizing 3He (that is, producing volumes of magnetized 3He gas, with the nuclear spins aligned toward a particular direction in space, rather than randomly). Rubidium vapor is optically pumped by a laser and the polarized Rb polarizes 3He by the hyperfine interaction.http://nvl.nist.gov/pub/nistpubs/jres/110/3/j110-3gen.pdf
Spin polarization 3He cells are becoming popular for neutron polarization measurements and for producing polarized neutron beams for other purposes.http://www.ncnr.nist.gov/AnnualReport/FY2002_html/pages/neutron_spin.htm
History
Rubidium (Latin
rubidus, deepest red) was discovered in 1861 by Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff in the mineral
lepidolite through the use of a
spectroscope. However, this element had minimal industrial use until the 1920s. Historically, the most important use for rubidium has been in research and development, primarily in chemical and electronic applications.
Occurrence
This element is considered to be the 16th most abundant element in the
earth's crust. It occurs naturally in the minerals leucite,
pollucite, and
zinnwaldite, which contains traces of up to 1% of its
oxide.
Lepidolite contains 1.5% rubidium and this is the commercial source of the element. Some
potassium minerals and potassium chlorides also contain the element in commercially significant amounts. One notable source is also in the extensive deposits of
pollucite at
Bernic Lake, Manitoba.
Rubidium metal can be produced by redox rubidium chloride with calcium among other methods. Rubidium forms at least four oxides: Rb2oxygen, Rb2O2, Rb2O3, RbO2. In 1997 the cost of this metal in small quantities was about
US dollar 25/gram.
Isotopes
There are 24 isotopes of rubidium known with naturally occurring rubidium being composed of just two isotopes; Rb-85 (72.2%) and the radioactive Rb-87 (27.8%). Normal mixes of rubidium are radioactive enough to fog
photographic film in approximately 30 to 60 days.
Rb-87 has a half-life of 4.88×1010 years. It readily substitutes for potassium in minerals, and is therefore fairly widespread. Rb has been used extensively in rock dating; Rb-87 decays to stable
strontium-87 by emission of a negative beta particle. During
fractional crystallization, Sr tends to become concentrated in plagioclase, leaving Rb in the liquid phase. Hence, the Rb/Sr ratio in residual
magma may increase over time, resulting in rocks with increasing Rb/Sr ratios with increasing rock differentiation. Highest ratios (10 or higher) occur in
pegmatites. If the initial amount of Sr is known or can be extrapolated, the age can be determined by measurement of the Rb and Sr concentrations and the Sr-87/Sr-86 ratio. The dates indicate the true age of the minerals only if the rocks have not been subsequently altered. See Rubidium-Strontium dating for a more detailed discussion.
Compounds
Rubidium's most common compounds areRubidium hydride,
Rubidium oxide,
Rubidium fluoride,
Rubidium chloride,
Rubidium bromide,Rubidium iodide,
Rubidium telluride,
Rubidium carbonate,Rubidium hydroxide,Rubidium sulfate,Rubidium perchlorate.
Precautions
Rubidium reacts violently with water and can cause fires. To ensure both safety and purity, this element must be kept under a dry mineral oil, in a
vacuum or in an inert
Earth's atmosphere.
Biological effects
Rubidium, like sodium and potassium, is almost always in its +1 oxidation state. The human body tends to treat Rb+ ions as if they were potassium ions, and therefore concentrates rubidium in the body's electrolytic fluid. The ions are not particularly toxic, and are relatively quickly removed in the sweat and urine. However, taken in excess it can be dangerous.
Pop culture reference
Rubidium crystals are a key component of the subdermal transponders injected into Capt.
James T. Kirk and Cmdr.
Spock before they beam down to the surface of Ekos in the
Star Trek episode "Patterns of Force (TOS episode)".
See also
- :category:Rubidium compounds
References
tags.
----------------------------------------------------------- -->
Sources
- Los Alamos National Laboratory – Rubidium
- Louis Meites, Handbook of Analytical Chemistry (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1963)
External links
- WebElements.com – Rubidium
{{Elementbox_isotopes_decay2 | mn=83 | sym=Rb| na=[synthetic radioisotope | hl=86.2 [day
| dm1=[electron capture | de1=- | pn1=83 | ps1=[krypton
| dm2=[gamma radiation | de2=0.52, 0.53,
0.55 | pn2= | ps2=- -->
{{Elementbox_isotopes_decay4 | mn=84 | sym=Rb| na=[synthetic radioisotope | hl=32.9 d
| dm1=ε | de1=- | pn1=84 | ps1=[krypton
| dm2=[positron emission | de2=1.66, 0.78 | pn2=84 | ps2=[krypton
| dm3=γ | de3=0.881 | pn3= | ps3=-
| dm4=[beta decay | de4=0.892 | pn4=84 | ps4=[strontium -->
{{Elementbox_isotopes_decay2 | mn=86 | sym=Rb| na=[synthetic radioisotope | hl=18.65 d
| dm1=β- | de1=1.775 | pn1=86 | ps1=[strontium
| dm2=γ | de2=1.0767 | pn2= | ps2=- -->
{{Elementbox_isotopes_decay | mn=87 | sym=Rb| na=27.835% | hl=4.88×1010 [year
| dm=β- | de=0.283 | pn=87 | ps=[strontium -->
Rubidium (
International Phonetic Alphabet: ) is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol
Rb and atomic number 37. Rb is a soft, silvery-white metallic element of the alkali metal group. Rb-87, a naturally occurring isotope, is (slightly)
radioactive. Rubidium is very soft and highly reactive, with properties similar to other elements in group 1, like rapid oxidation in
Earth's atmosphere.
Notable characteristics
Rubidium is the second most electropositive of the stable alkaline elements and liquefies at high ambient temperature (102.7°F = 39.3°C). Like other group 1 elements this metal reacts violently in water. In common with potassium and caesium this reaction is usually vigorous enough to ignite the liberated
hydrogen. Rubidium has also been reported to ignite spontaneously in air. Also like other alkali metals, it forms amalgams with
mercury (element) and it can form
alloys with
gold,
caesium,
sodium, and
potassium. The element gives a
Red-Violet (color) color to a flame, hence its name.
Uses
Potential or current uses of rubidium include:
- A Bose-Einstein condensate.
- A working fluid in vapor turbines.
- A getter in vacuum tubes.
- A photocell component.
- The resonant element in atomic clocks. This is due to the hyperfine structure of Rubidium's energy levels.
- An ingredient in special types of glass.
- The production of superoxide by burning in oxygen.
- The study of potassium ion channels in biology.
- Rubidium vapor has been used to make atomic magnetometer. 87Rb is currently being used, with other alkali metals, in the development of spin-exchange relaxation-free SERF.http://scitation.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=APPLAB000089000013134105000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=yes
Rubidium is easily ionized, so it has been considered for use in ion engines for space vehicles (but caesium and
xenon are more efficient for this purpose).
Rubidium compounds are sometimes used in
fireworks to give them a purple color.
Rb
silver4iodine5 has the highest room temperature electrical conductivity of any known ionic crystal. This property could be useful in thin film
battery (electricity) and in other applications.
Rubidium has also been considered for use in a thermoelectric generator using the
magnetohydrodynamics principle, where rubidium ions are formed by heat at high temperature and passed through a
magnetic field. These conduct
electricity and act like an armature (electrical engineering) of a generator thereby generating an
electric current.
Rubidium, particularly 87Rb, in the form of vapor, is one of the most commonly-used atomic species employed for
laser cooling and
Bose-Einstein condensation. Its desirable features for this application include the ready availability of inexpensive diode laser light at the relevant
wavelength, and the moderate temperatures required to obtain substantial vapor pressures.
Rubidium has been used for polarizing 3He (that is, producing volumes of magnetized 3He gas, with the nuclear spins aligned toward a particular direction in space, rather than randomly). Rubidium vapor is optically pumped by a laser and the polarized Rb polarizes 3He by the hyperfine interaction.http://nvl.nist.gov/pub/nistpubs/jres/110/3/j110-3gen.pdf Spin polarization 3He cells are becoming popular for neutron polarization measurements and for producing polarized neutron beams for other purposes.http://www.ncnr.nist.gov/AnnualReport/FY2002_html/pages/neutron_spin.htm
History
Rubidium (Latin
rubidus, deepest red) was discovered in 1861 by
Robert Bunsen and
Gustav Kirchhoff in the
mineral lepidolite through the use of a
spectroscope. However, this element had minimal industrial use until the 1920s. Historically, the most important use for rubidium has been in research and development, primarily in chemical and electronic applications.
Occurrence
This element is considered to be the 16th most abundant element in the
earth's crust. It occurs naturally in the minerals
leucite, pollucite, and
zinnwaldite, which contains traces of up to 1% of its
oxide.
Lepidolite contains 1.5% rubidium and this is the commercial source of the element. Some
potassium minerals and
potassium chlorides also contain the element in commercially significant amounts. One notable source is also in the extensive deposits of
pollucite at
Bernic Lake, Manitoba.
Rubidium metal can be produced by redox rubidium chloride with calcium among other methods. Rubidium forms at least four oxides: Rb2
oxygen, Rb2O2, Rb2O3, RbO2. In 1997 the cost of this metal in small quantities was about US dollar 25/gram.
Isotopes
There are 24
isotopes of rubidium known with naturally occurring rubidium being composed of just two isotopes; Rb-85 (72.2%) and the radioactive Rb-87 (27.8%). Normal mixes of rubidium are radioactive enough to fog photographic film in approximately 30 to 60 days.
Rb-87 has a half-life of 4.88×1010 years. It readily substitutes for
potassium in minerals, and is therefore fairly widespread. Rb has been used extensively in
rock dating; Rb-87 decays to stable
strontium-87 by emission of a negative
beta particle. During
fractional crystallization, Sr tends to become concentrated in plagioclase, leaving Rb in the liquid phase. Hence, the Rb/Sr ratio in residual magma may increase over time, resulting in rocks with increasing Rb/Sr ratios with increasing
rock differentiation. Highest ratios (10 or higher) occur in pegmatites. If the initial amount of Sr is known or can be extrapolated, the age can be determined by measurement of the Rb and Sr concentrations and the Sr-87/Sr-86 ratio. The dates indicate the true age of the minerals only if the rocks have not been subsequently altered. See
Rubidium-Strontium dating for a more detailed discussion.
Compounds
Rubidium's most common compounds are
Rubidium hydride,
Rubidium oxide,
Rubidium fluoride,Rubidium chloride,Rubidium bromide,
Rubidium iodide,
Rubidium telluride,Rubidium carbonate,
Rubidium hydroxide,
Rubidium sulfate,Rubidium perchlorate.
Precautions
Rubidium reacts violently with water and can cause fires. To ensure both safety and purity, this element must be kept under a dry
mineral oil, in a vacuum or in an inert Earth's atmosphere.
Biological effects
Rubidium, like sodium and potassium, is almost always in its +1 oxidation state. The human body tends to treat Rb+ ions as if they were potassium ions, and therefore concentrates rubidium in the body's electrolytic fluid. The ions are not particularly toxic, and are relatively quickly removed in the sweat and urine. However, taken in excess it can be dangerous.
Pop culture reference
Rubidium crystals are a key component of the subdermal transponders injected into Capt.
James T. Kirk and Cmdr. Spock before they beam down to the surface of Ekos in the
Star Trek episode "Patterns of Force (TOS episode)".
See also
References
tags.
----------------------------------------------------------- -->
Sources
- Los Alamos National Laboratory – Rubidium
- Louis Meites, Handbook of Analytical Chemistry (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1963)
External links
- WebElements.com – Rubidium
Rubidium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rubidium (pronounced /ruːˈbɪdiəm/, /rəˈbɪdiəm/) is a chemical element with the symbol Rb and atomic number 37. Rb is a soft, silvery-white metallic element of the alkali ...
Rubidium
Rubidium. Rubidium is a silvery white, metallic solid at room temperature. Its symbol is Rb and the ground state electron configuration is [Kr]5s 1.
Visual Elements: Rubidium
Rubidium - Rb General Information Discovery Rubidium was discovered in 1861 by R.W. Bunsen and G. Kirchhoff in Heidelberg, Germany, by spectroscopic examination of the ...
Visual Elements - Rubidium
Discovered : 1861 by R. W. Bunsen and G. Kirchhoff in Heidelberg. Origin : The name is derived from the Latin rubidius, ‘red’. Description : A soft metal that ignites in the ...
rubidium - Hutchinson encyclopedia article about rubidium
Hutchinson encyclopedia article about rubidium. rubidium. Information about rubidium in the Hutchinson encyclopedia. rubidium chloride
rubidium 82 - Hutchinson encyclopedia article about rubidium 82
Hutchinson encyclopedia article about rubidium 82. rubidium 82. Information about rubidium 82 in the Hutchinson encyclopedia.
Rubidium atomic clock
The SA.3Xm marks a major step forward in the evolution of rubidium atomic clocks. Based on miniature atomic clock technology the SA.3Xm family has been ...
WebElements Periodic Table of the Elements | Rubidium | Essential ...
This WebElements periodic table page contains Essential information for the element rubidium ... Brief description: rubidium can be liquid at ambient temperature, but only on a hot ...
Rubidium
Supplies speech processing chips and solution for resource constrained consumer applications, including speech recognition, text-to-speech (TTS), biometric speaker verification ...
Rubidium
Infomation on Rubidium general properties, states, energies, appearance and characteristics. ... reaction with air: vigorous, =>RbO2 reaction with 6M HCl: vigorous, =>H2, RbCl ...
