Buy Cesium Metal (Cs) from Reliable China Suppliers and Factory for Unique Industrial Applications
Basic properties
Discovery and naming
Important Applications
- Atomic clocks: The hyperfine transition frequency of cesium-133 atoms is used to define the "second" in the International System of Units (SI), with an accuracy of less than 1 second for tens of millions of years. It is widely used in GPS, satellite communications and financial trading systems.
- Petroleum industry: Cesium formate (CsCOOH) is a high-performance drilling fluid that can remain stable under high temperature and high pressure environments, improving the efficiency of deep well drilling.
- Photoelectric technology: Cesium is extremely sensitive to light and is the core material of photoelectric tubes, infrared detectors and night vision devices.
- Medicine and scientific research: The radioactive isotope cesium-137 is used for cancer radiotherapy, while the stable isotope is used for biological tracer research.
Fun facts and challenges
Conclusion
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the melting point of cesium and how soft is it?
Cesium has an extremely low melting point of 28.5°C (83.3°F), meaning it can melt in your hand or during a hot summer day. With a Mohs hardness of just 0.2, it is one of the softest metals found in nature.
Q: Why must cesium be stored in a vacuum or inert gas?
Cesium is highly reactive. It will rapidly oxidize and self-ignite when exposed to air, and it reacts violently with water to release flammable hydrogen gas, causing an explosion. Therefore, it must be sealed in mineral oil, inert gas, or a vacuum.
Q: How is cesium used in timekeeping and atomic clocks?
The hyperfine transition frequency of cesium-133 atoms defines the standard measurement of a "second" in the International System of Units (SI). Cesium atomic clocks are incredibly accurate, losing less than one second over tens of millions of years, making them vital for GPS and telecommunications.
Q: What role does cesium play in the petroleum industry?
Cesium formate (CsCOOH) is widely used as a high-density, high-performance drilling fluid in deep-well oil drilling. It remains chemically stable under extreme high-temperature and high-pressure conditions, which significantly improves drilling efficiency.
Q: Who discovered cesium and what does its name mean?
Cesium was discovered in 1860 by Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff using spectral analysis. They named it after the Latin word "caesius," which means "sky blue," referring to the bright blue lines in its emission spectrum.

