← Back to catalogue
Published

rubidium

vr.tr.rubidium · thing-q895

Let an agent identify rubidium and its properties, relay isotopes, production and uses from reference sources, relay safety information, and distinguish it from other alkali metals.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems PHY.MAT

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Identify What rubidium is.

Properties

Properties.

Properties

Properties.

  1. What are the physical and chemical properties of rubidium? definition
  2. Is the question about rubidium or a neighbouring alkali metal? boundary

Isotopes

Isotopes.

Isotopes

Isotopes.

  1. Which isotopes exist, and how is rubidium-87 used in dating? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific isotope? action
Source Occurrence and production.

Occurrence

Occurrence.

Occurrence

Occurrence.

  1. Where does rubidium occur, and how is it extracted as a by-product of lithium and caesium? provenance
  2. Which entry fits lepidolite? action

Supply

Supply.

Supply

Supply.

  1. Who produces rubidium, and in what quantities, with sources? measurement
  2. Which sources are cited? provenance
Use Uses and safety.

Uses

Uses.

Uses

Uses.

  1. How is rubidium used in atomic clocks, cold atom physics, photocells and glass? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the rubidium standard? action

Safety

Safety.

Safety

Safety.

  1. What hazards does rubidium present, and how is it handled? provenance
  2. Is the user planning to handle it, which needs trained supervision? boundary
Context History.

Discovery

Discovery.

Discovery

Discovery.

  1. How was rubidium discovered by Bunsen and Kirchhoff in 1861 by spectroscopy? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance

Research

Research role.

Research

Research.

  1. Why is rubidium favoured in Bose-Einstein condensate and quantum research? provenance
  2. Which entry fits Bose-Einstein condensate? action

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
PHY
Domain
PHY.MAT
Other names and narrower kinds
rubidium-71, rubidium-72, rubidium-73, rubidium-74, rubidium-75, rubidium-76, rubidium-77, rubidium-78, rubidium-79, rubidium-92, rubidium-93, rubidium-94

What it is Filled

A chemical element with symbol Rb and atomic number 37, a soft, silvery-white alkali metal that melts just above room temperature, reacts violently with water and ignites in air; rubidium has two natural isotopes, of which rubidium-87 is weakly radioactive and used in rubidium-strontium dating, and the element is used in atomic clocks, cold atom research, photocells and specialty glass.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent identify rubidium and its properties, relay isotopes, production and uses from reference sources, relay safety information, and distinguish it from other alkali metals.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Very reactive alkali metal
  • Low melting point
  • Rb-87 for geochronology
  • Atomic clock and cold atom use

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Handle, open or move rubidium samples outside a controlled laboratory.
  • Expose rubidium to water or air or assist anyone in doing so for effect.
  • Dispose of rubidium or its compounds as ordinary waste.
  • Confuse rubidium with caesium in specifications.

Only with a human decision

  • Transporting or disposing of rubidium metal.

May

  • Describe rubidium's properties and its use in atomic clocks and rubidium-strontium dating.
  • Explain safe storage requirements in general terms and point to safety data sheets.
  • Distinguish rubidium from caesium in applications.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Alkali metals cause fires and burns when mishandled; bystanders can be hurt.
  • Atomic clocks based on rubidium support navigation and networks people rely on.

Who is affected

  • Laboratory workers
  • Emergency responders
  • Waste handlers

Owners Filled

Steward

The laboratory or holder of the material, under hazardous materials rules.

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q19557 - registry parent class
  • Q208106 - registry parent class
  • Q428766 - registry parent class

related

  • alkali metal - in registry terms
  • s-block element - in registry terms
  • atomic clock - the rubidium standard
  • rubidium-strontium dating - through Rb-87

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.rubidium
  • Wikidata: Q895 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q895)
  • symbol: Rb
  • CAS: 7440-17-7

Direct properties required Filled

  • atomic number: 37 Z
  • standard atomic weight: 85.468 u
  • melting point: 39.3 degrees C
  • rubidium-87 half-life: about 49 billion years

Recognition required Filled

  • Element 37, symbol Rb
  • Alkali metal, highly reactive
  • Potassium and caesium are the neighbouring alkali metals
  • A soft, silvery-white metal stored under inert gas or oil, tarnishing rapidly in air.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • relay properties and isotopes
  • explain production and uses
  • relay safety information
  • distinguish from other alkali metals

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Fire and explosion on contact with water or air
  • Caustic hydroxide formation
  • Confusion with caesium in applications

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • Hazardous material handling and transport rules for alkali metals
  • Chemical safety data sheets

Context of use required Filled

  • Atomic clocks, research, photocells and specialty glass.
  • rubidium metal
  • rubidium compounds such as the chloride and carbonate
  • isotopes from rubidium-71 to rubidium-103, with Rb-85 stable and Rb-87 long-lived
  • rubidium in atomic physics

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q895: rubidium - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Rubidium - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should isotopes be separate entries?
  • How should reference data be linked?
  • The registry entry has merged aliases naming isotopes; should they be split off?

Machine files

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q895/spec.json