Cesium Characteristics

Cesium is a chemical element (symbol Cs) discovered in German mineral water in 1861. Since its discovery, a wide variety of uses have been found for it and its isotopes including in atomic clocks, cancer treatments, drilling fluids and gauging equipment.

Features

Cesium is a soft, ductile and non-radioactive metal that has a melting point of 83 degrees Fahrenheit and a boiling point of 1239.8 degrees Fahrenheit. The color of cesium is silvery gold. It is a rare, highly reactive alkali metal.

Considerations

Cesium's low melting point makes it one of five known pure metals that are liquid at approximately room temperature. The other four metals are gallium, rubidium, mercury and francium.

Warning

Cesium explodes in water or when placed in contact with ice down to temperatures of -177 degrees Fahrenheit. This reaction produces hydrogen gas, which is heated by the explosion. Cesium also reacts strongly with sulfur, halogens and phosphorus.

Occurrence

Like all alkali metals, cesium doesn't occur in its pure form naturally, as it combines quickly with oxygen. It can be found in compounds such as lepidolite, pollucite and rhodozite.

Isotopes

Cesium has 39 isotopes, the most common one being cesium-133. The only element known to have more isotopes is francium.

References

• Web Elements Cesium: The Essentials
• Los Alamos National Laboratory Chemistry Division on Cesium
• Time and Frequency from A to Z: Ti

Resources

• Atomic Clocks