Rubidium

= Rubidium = = B y M a r l e e **B** i l l s t e i n  =

Basic Facts
 * Symbol- Rb [[image:rubidium.gif width="153" height="152" align="right"]]
 * Was discovered by Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff in 1861
 * Atomic Number- 37
 * Atomic Mass- 85.4678
 * Number of protons- 37
 * Number of electrons- 37
 * Number of neutrons- 48.4678
 * Source of symbol- Latin word 'rubidius' meaning deepest red

Physical Facts
 * Melting point- 39.3 °C
 * Boiling point- 688 °C
 * Density- 1.532 g/cm3
 * Abundance- in Earth's crust - 9.0*10 exponent 1, in Earths ocean- 1.2*10 exponent -1

Uses
 * Working fluid for a vapor turbine
 * Compounds used in fireworks to give them a ﻿ purple ﻿ color
 * Making special glasses
 * Used in thin film batteries and other appliances

Where its Found
 * Found in the minerals lepidolite and pollucite. Both of these are special igneous known as a pegmatite
 * Its a form of a solid at room temperature

Sources
 * @http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubidium
 * [|www.eoearth.org/article/Rubidium#gen2]
 * []