Why is this element important in everyday life?
Cesium is used in everyday life by being used as a 'getter' in radio tubes. Cesium is one of the three metals that are liquid at room temperature. It is the most electropositive and most alkaline elements. Cesium is highly explosive and reacts violently with water and also with ice down to -116 C. Cesium hydroxide attacks glass. If Cesium is thrown into the air it will burst into a sky-blue flame.
Where is this element found in nature?
Cesium can be found in lepikolite, pollucte (a hydrated silicate of aluminum and cesium). The most abundant sources of cesium is in Bernic Lake, Manitoba. By coating the cesium with oil it can be contained.
What are the properties of the element?
General Characteristics =
The metal is characterized by a spectrum containing two bright lines in the blue along with several others in the red, yellow, and green. It is silvery white, soft, and ductile. It is the most electropositive and most alkaline element.
Atomic Symbol = Cs
Period Number = 6
Group Number and Family Name = Group: 1 Family: Alkali Metals
Atomic Number = 55
Atomic Mass =132.91
Density =1.40
Melting Point =28 C
Boiling Point =670 C
Electron Configuration = Cs-1S22S22P63S23P64S23D104P65S24D105P66S1
Shorthand Notation =Cs- [Xe]6S1
Common Reactions = Reacts violently with water, and also quickly reacts with air.
Interesting Information = Although unuseful in earths atmosphere 1g of Cs can be used in oterspace to propel a vehicle 140x farther than any other element or fuel of the same amount.
Who is Sylvestor Cesium?
Sylvestor Cesium, or 'Sty' as he likes to be called made his residency in the Hot springs of Colorado, far away from everyone except his two best friends Carol Chloride, and Nate Nitrogen. This is because of his very explosive behavior, mainly when he comes into contact with air or pure water. For this reason Sty stayed in his vacuum sealed home. The interior was all blue, from the carpet to the ceiling all was a sky blue. Sty had a special room with his oil bath in which helped him control his explosive tendencies.
One day Sty got a phone call from a man who said he had a very important assignment for Sty to do. Sty had been picked for an assignment to work in an atomic clock. His job was to control the seconds so that they were less than four seconds off every ten centuries. Sty was very eager to begin working because he loved a challenge. He went about his job for about thirty centuries without worry. One day however sty became very bored about what he had done for most of his life he became very suicidal. He began to slow down the pace of his work and suddenly small amounts of air and water vapor began to poor into the atomic clock. As Sty realized what he done he knew it was too late. That day Sty managed to blow everything up in a four block radius including himself.
This story has been passed down from generation to generation in the sty family, and is told in honor of Sylvestor Cesium. The story is also a warning to remind any of the Cesium family to take a nice long oil bath if they ever become to stressed.
