Rubidium history

This has led to such cases in the history of chemistry that spectroscopic signals have been unidentified till newly discovered elements was found (e.g. rubidium, caesium, indium, helium, rhenium) or new species (highly ionized atoms, e.g. in northern lights [aura borealis], luminous phenomena in cosmic space and sun aura, such as nebulium , coronium , geocoronium , asterium , which was characterized at first to be new elements see Bowen [1927] Grotrian [1928] Rabinowitsch [1928]). 

A popular method used to date rocks is the potassium-argon method. Potassium is abundant in rocks such as feldspars, hornblendes, and micas. The K-Ar method has been used to date the Earth and its geologic formations. It has also been applied to determine magnetic reversals that have taken place throughout the Earth s history. Another method used in geologic dating is the rubidium-strontium, Rb-Sr, method. Some of the oldest rocks on Earth have been dated with this method, providing evidence that the Earth is approximately 5 billion years old. The method has also been used to date moon rocks and meteorites. 

History.—Rubidium was discovered1 by the aid of the spectroscope in 1861 in the mineral water of Dlirkheim, and also in lepidolite. Its name is derived from the two dark red lines in its spectrum (rubidus, dark-red). 

The history of atomic emission spectrometry (AES) goes back to Bunsen and Kirchhoff, who reported in 1860 on spectroscopic investigations of the alkali and alkali earth elements with the aid of their spectroscope [1], The elements cesium and rubidium and later on thorium and indium were also discovered on the basis of their atomic emission spectra. From these early beginnings qualitative and quantitative aspects of atomic spectrometry were considered. The occurrence of atomic spectral lines was understood as uniequivocal proof of the presence of these elements in a mixture. Bunsen and Kirchhoff in addition, however, also estimated the amounts of sodium that had to be brought into the flame to give a detectable line emission and therewith gave the basis for quantitative analyses and trace determinations with atomic spectrometry. 

Halpem M (1970) Rubidium-strontium date of possibly 3 billion years for a granitic rock fiom Antarctica. Science 169 977-978 Hambrey MJ, Barrett PJ, Robinson PH (1989) Stratigraphy. In Barrett PJ (ed) Antarctic Cenozoic History from the CIROS-1 Drill Hole, McMurdo Sound. DSIR BuU 245 23-48. Wellington, New Zealand... 

This lull in the history of discoveries of new elements was ended by the spectral method developed in 1859-1860 by the German scientists R. Bunsen and G. Kirchhoff. And at once reports appeared about the discovery of new elements, which announced themselves via new spectral lines. Four chemical elements (cesium, rubidium, thallium, and indium) came to light owing to the spectroscopic method. 

We now start a systematic chapter-by-chapter study of the eight groups of representative elements. In each of these chapters our aim is to discuss the history of the discovery of the elements, how our developing network can be applied to predict and rationalize the chemistry of the group, and what special characteristics and practical applications these elements have. We will also explore at least one special topic in depth for each group. In this chapter we discuss the alkali metals (lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and francium) and add a seventh component (a knowledge of reduction potentials) to the network. The special topic in depth is liquid ammonia solutions of the Group lA and 2A metals. 

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