Rubidium

Rubidium is a soft, silvery-white metallic element of the alkali metals group (Group 1). It is one of the most most electropositive and alkaline elements. It ignites spontaneously in air and reacts violently with water, setting fire to the liberated hydrogen. As so with all the other alkali metals, it forms amalgams with mercury. It alloys with gold, caesium, sodium, and potassium. It colours a flame yellowish-violet.
==Historical information==
Rubidium was discovered by Robert Bunsen, Gustav Kirchhoff in 1861 at Germany. Rubidium was discovered in 1861 spectroscopically by Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchoff as an impurity associated with samples of the mineral lepidolite (a form of mica). The name rubidium (from the Latin "rubidus" - dark red) was coined for its bright red spectroscopic lines.
Rubidium salts were isolated by Bunsen by precipitation from spring waters - along with salts of other Group 1 elements. He was able to separate them and isolated the chloride and the carbonate. He isolated rubidium metal by reducing rubidium hydrogen tartrate with carbon.
==Compounds==
===Hydride===
*Rubidium hydride
===Halides===
*Rubidium fluoride
*Rubidium iodide
===Oxides===
*Dirubidium oxide:
*Rubidium superoxide
*Dirubidium peroxide
===Sulfides===
*Dirubidium sulphide
*Dirubidium disulphide
*Dirubidium trisulphide
*Dirubidium hexaasulphide
*Dirubidium pentasulphide
==Notes Sources==
*NCERT Textbook
*Webelements.com
Category:Element