Symbol
Rb
  
Nb
  
Period Number
5
  
5
  
Block
s block
  
d block
  
Element Family
Alkali
  
Transition Metal
  
Space Group Name
Im_ 3m
  
Im_ 3m
  
Interesting Facts
- Rubidium metal is 16th most common element found in the earth crust.
- Rubidium metal also found in minerals as well as seawater.
  
- Niobium metal was used to get called Columbium in past.
- Niobium metal found freely in nature (abundance).
  
Sources
Obtained from Lithium Production.
  
By-product of Tin Extraction, Found in Minerals, Mining, Ores of Minerals
  
History
  
  
Who Discovered
Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff
  
Charles Hatchett
  
Discovery
In 1861
  
In 1801
  
Abundance
  
  
Abundance In Sun
~0.000003 %
  
17
~0.0000004 %
  
23
Abundance In Earth's Crust
Abundance In Humans
Not Available
  
Uses & Benefits
- Rubidium's main application is in the glass manufacturing.
- Rubidium can very easily get ionized and hence it is used for ion engines, but it is still less efficient than that of Caesium.
  
- Niobium alloys are used in jet engines and rockets and spacecraft, beams and girders for buildings and oil and gas pipelines.
- It is used superconducting magnets in particles accelerators, NMR and MRI equipment.
  
Industrial Uses
NA
  
Aerospace Industry, Ammunition Industry, Electrical Industry, Electronic Industry
  
Medical Uses
NA
  
NA
  
Other Uses
Alloys, Research Purposes
  
Alloys
  
Biological Properties
  
  
Toxicity
Non Toxic
  
Low Toxic
  
Present in Human Body
Yes
  
Yes
  
In Blood
2.49 Blood/mg dm-3
  
7
0.01 Blood/mg dm-3
  
25
In Bone
5.00 p.p.m.
  
13
0.07 p.p.m.
  
25
Boiling Point
2,468.00 °C
  
99+
Appearance
  
  
Physical State
Solid
  
Solid
  
Color
Grayish White
  
Gray
  
Luster
NA
  
Metallic
  
Hardness
  
  
Vickers Hardness
Not Available
  
Speed of Sound
1,300.00 m/s
  
99+
3,480.00 m/s
  
21
Optical Properties
  
  
Allotropes
No
  
No
  
α Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
β Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
γ Allotropes
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Chemical Formula
Rb
  
Nb
  
Isotopes
  
  
Electronegativity
  
  
Pauling Electronegativity
Sanderson Electronegativity
Allred Rochow Electronegativity
Mulliken-Jaffe Electronegativity
Not Available
  
Electropositivity
  
  
Pauling Electropositivity
Ionization Energies
  
  
1st Energy Level
403.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
652.10 kJ/mol
  
99+
2nd Energy Level
2,633.00 kJ/mol
  
6
1,380.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
3rd Energy Level
3,860.00 kJ/mol
  
11
2,416.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
4th Energy Level
5,080.00 kJ/mol
  
18
3,700.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
5th Energy Level
6,850.00 kJ/mol
  
19
4,877.00 kJ/mol
  
36
6th Energy Level
8,140.00 kJ/mol
  
20
9,847.00 kJ/mol
  
11
7th Energy level
9,570.00 kJ/mol
  
20
12,100.00 kJ/mol
  
14
8th Energy Level
13,120.00 kJ/mol
  
17
Not Available
  
9th Energy Level
14,500.00 kJ/mol
  
18
Not Available
  
10th Energy Level
26,740.00 kJ/mol
  
6
Not Available
  
Electrochemical Equivalent
3.19 g/amp-hr
  
14
0.69 g/amp-hr
  
99+
Other Chemical Properties
Corrosion, Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Radioactivity
  
Anti Corrosion, Ionization, Radioactive Isotopes, Solubility
  
Electron Configuration
[Kr] 5s1
  
[Kr] 4d4 5s1
  
Crystal Structure
Body Centered Cubic (BCC)
  
Body Centered Cubic (BCC)
  
Crystal Lattice
BCC-Crystal-Structure-.jpg#100
  
BCC-Crystal-Structure-.jpg#100
  
Atom
  
  
Radius of an Atom
  
  
Atomic Volume
55.90 cm3/mol
  
2
10.87 cm3/mol
  
99+
Adjacent Atomic Numbers
  
  
Valence Electron Potential
9.47 (-eV)
  
99+
104.00 (-eV)
  
8
Lattice Angles
π/2, π/2, π/2
  
π/2, π/2, π/2
  
Lattice C/A Ratio
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Density
  
  
Density At Room Temperature
1.53 g/cm3
  
99+
8.57 g/cm3
  
99+
Density When Liquid (at m.p.)
1.46 g/cm3
  
99+
Not Available
  
Tensile Strength
Not Available
  
Viscosity
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Vapor Pressure
  
  
Vapor Pressure at 2000 K
Not Available
  
Elasticity properties
  
  
Shear Modulus
Not Available
  
Poisson Ratio
Not Available
  
Other Mechanical Properties
Ductile
  
Ductile, Malleable
  
Magnetic Characteristics
  
  
Magnetic Ordering
Paramagnetic
  
Paramagnetic
  
Electrical Properties
  
  
Electrical Property
Conductor
  
Conductor
  
Resistivity
128.00 nΩ·m
  
26
152.00 nΩ·m
  
23
Electrical Conductivity
0.08 106/cm Ω
  
24
0.07 106/cm Ω
  
28
Electron Affinity
46.90 kJ/mol
  
24
86.10 kJ/mol
  
12
Specific Heat
0.36 J/(kg K)
  
17
0.26 J/(kg K)
  
20
Molar Heat Capacity
31.06 J/mol·K
  
5
24.60 J/mol·K
  
99+
Thermal Conductivity
58.20 W/m·K
  
26
53.70 W/m·K
  
29
Critical Temperature
Not Available
  
Thermal Expansion
90.00 µm/(m·K)
  
2
7.30 µm/(m·K)
  
99+
Enthalpy
  
  
Enthalpy of Vaporization
69.20 kJ/mol
  
99+
696.60 kJ/mol
  
4
Enthalpy of Fusion
2.19 kJ/mol
  
99+
27.20 kJ/mol
  
6
Enthalpy of Atomization
82.00 kJ/mol
  
99+
745.00 kJ/mol
  
4
Standard Molar Entropy
76.80 J/mol.K
  
5
36.40 J/mol.K
  
99+