Cesium is a rare, highly reactive, and silvery-white metallic element used in various industries. It has many radioactive isotopes and is not found in pure form in nature. Cesium is used in atomic clocks, nuclear medicine, and scientific research. Radioactive isotopes can cause health effects and must be handled with care.
Cesium is a rare metallic chemical element that is used in an assortment of industries. It also has a large array of isotopes, many of which are radioactive. Because it is highly reactive, the element is not usually found in a pure form in nature; most of the world’s supply comes from minerals and nuclear fission. Consumers generally do not interact directly with cesium or its isotopes, although they may own products that contain it as a component.
In appearance, cesium is soft and silvery white. It has the unusual property of being liquid at room temperature. The element is also extremely reactive, highly alkaline, and very electropositive. Cesium can react violently with water, ice or moist air. It is identified with the symbol Cs on the periodic table of elements and has atomic number 55. The high reactivity of this element causes it to appear in numerous compounds, some of which are toxic.
The discovery of cesium is credited to Gustav Kirchoff and Robert Bunsen in 1860. Using a spectrometer to analyze mineral water from Durkheim, Germany, the two men noticed the existence of a previously unidentified element that emitted a distinctive bluish gray line on the spectrum. The men named the element from the Latin caesius, which means “bluish gray”. In 1882, another chemist had succeeded in isolating cesium metal. British English writers may be more familiar with the element as cesium.
In industry, cesium is used in atomic clocks, photoelectric cells and nuclear medicine. Some radioactive isotopes appear to be very useful in the treatment of cancer. The element is also used as a catalyst to create certain desired chemical reactions and is used in various fields of scientific research. Compounds are available at fairly reasonable prices; in its pure form, it can be quite expensive.
Radioactive isotopes of cesium can enter the environment through the detonation of nuclear devices and through improperly controlled waste. These isotopes can permeate drinking water and rivers, potentially causing human health effects ranging from spasms to death, depending on the extent of exposure. Fortunately, cesium poisoning appears to be quite rare, as a high concentration is required to achieve toxicity. However, care must be taken when handling the element and its isotopes due to its reactivity and toxicity.
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