What Is Rubidium Used For

One of the main uses of rubidium is in the production of the beautiful purples that are seen in fireworks.

What is rubidium used for. These clocks use microwave radiation which is tuned until it matches the hyperfine transition at which point the interval between wave crests of the radiation can be used to calibrate time itself. Rubidium is the chemical element with the symbol rb and atomic number 37. It is also used in the manufacture of photocells and in special glasses. Rubidium is used in vacuum tubes as a getter a material that combines with and removes trace gases from vacuum tubes.

Rubidium is a very soft silvery white metal in the alkali metal group. Rubidium 87 is an unstable isotope that has a half life of about 50. Since it is easily ionized it might be used as a propellant in ion engines on spacecraft. Rubidium and strontium are used to radioactively date rocks minerals and meteorites according to encyclopedia britannica.

Rubidium s name comes from the latin rubidus meaning dark red. The element is used in manufacturing special types of glass in research and development of potassium ion channels as well as producing superoxide when it reacts with oxygen. Rubidium cannot be stored under atmospheric oxygen as a highly exothermic reaction will ensue sometimes even resulting in the. The radioactive properties of rubidium 87 are used in geology to determine the age of rocks or other.

Rubidium uses could extend up to manufacturing photocells atomic clocks and electronic tubes. Rubidium atomic clocks or standard frequencies have been built but they are not as precise as cesium atomic clocks. The rubidium version of the atomic clock employs the transition between two hyperfine energy states of the rubidium 87 isotope. Needed for the survival of some living things eg by plants.