Discovery
Caesium was almost discovered by Carl Plattner in 1846 but it wasn't until 1860 that it was discovered by Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchoff when they examined mineral water with spectroscopic analysis. The name comes from the blue lines observed in it's spectrum, and is derived from the latin for sky blue, 'Caesius'.
Characteristics
| Group | Period | Block | Number | Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | s | 55 | [Xe] 6s1 |
| Melting Point | Boiling Point | Density | Mass | Key Isotope |
| 28.5°C | 671°C | 1.873 g cm | 132.905 | 133Cs |
Caesium is a soft, gold-white metal that tarnishes within seconds of being exposed to air. Due to the low melting point of Caesium, it's often found in liquid form also. It's attacked quickly in air and reacts very explosively in water. It burns with a lavender flame.
Caesium is naturally occuring but in very small quantities so it's unknown if it's under risk of running out, and there's no way to know who produces the most.
| Atomic Radius | Electron Affinity | Covalent Radius | Electronegativity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.43 | 45.505 | 2.38 | 0.79 |
Uses
Caesium compounds are often used in drilling fluids. They're also used to make special glass for vacuum tubes and in radiation monitoring equipment.
Caesium is also used in atomic clocks and is a vital part of satellites and phone networks as they frequency of a caesium atom gives a standard measure (9.192 million cycles per second).
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