 Discovery Information |
| Who:
Gustov Kirchoff
,
Robert Bunsen
|
| When: 1860 |
| Where: Germany |
|
| Name Origin |
| Latin: caesius (sky blue); its salts turn flames blue. |
|
| Sources |
| Found in pollucite and as trace in lepidolite. |
|
| Uses |
| Used as a 'getter' to remove air traces in vacuum tubes. Since it ionizes readily, it is used as an ion rocket motor propellant. Also used in photoelectric cells, atomic clocks, infared lamps. |
|
| Notes |
| Also know as cesium in the United States. |
| Along with gallium, francium and mercury, caesium is among the only metals that are liquid at or near room temperature. Caesium reacts explosively in cold water and also reacts with ice at temperatures above -116'C. |
| Caesium has at least 39 known
isotopes
which is more than any other
element
, except francium. Although only one of these is naturally occuring and stable, Cs-133. |
| Caesium is considered highly toxic. |
