Rubidium is an alkali metal in group IA of the periodic table with atomic number 37, an atomic weight of 85.47, and a density of 1.53 Mg/m 3. Its melting point is 38.9 C, and it boils at 688 C. The ...

Ultra-precise rubidium atomic clocks are so stable that they lose less than one second over 3.7 million years. The metal is also widely used in medical research for imaging tumor cells.

Nature Chemistry - Iulia Georgescu explains why rubidium is atomic physicists' favourite chemical element. Skip to main content Thank you for visiting nature.com.