cesium [Cs]
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Introduction
From the Latin caesius meaning heavenly blue. Discovered in 1860 by German chemists Robert Bunsen & Gustav Kirchhoff.
Occurrence
- primarily obtained from the mineral pollucite
Characteristics
- silver-white-gold soft ductile element of the alkali metal group
- the most electropositive element known
- liquid at room temperature
- reacts explosively with cold water
- reacts with ice at temperatures above -116 degrees C
- two bright blue lines in its spectrum
- toxic
Uses
- photoelectric cells
- catalyst
- as a 'getter' in radiation monitoring equipment
- atomic clocks