The alkali metals consist of the chemical elements lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), caesium (Cs), and francium (Fr). Together with hydrogen they constitute group 1, which lies in the s-block of the periodic table. All alkali metals have their outermost electron in an s-orbital: this shared electron configuration results in their having very similar characteristic properties. Indeed, the alkali metals provide the best example of group trends in properties in the periodic table, with elements exhibiting well-characterised homologous behaviour. This family of elements is also known as the lithium family after its leading element.
Caesium is a chemical element with the symbol Cs and atomic number 55. It is a soft, silvery-golden alkali metal with a melting point of 28.5 °C (83.3 °F), which makes it one of only five elemental metals that are liquid at or near room temperature. Caesium has physical and chemical properties similar to those of rubidium and potassium. It is pyrophoric and reacts with water even at −116 °C (−177 °F). It is the least electronegative element, with a value of 0.79 on the Pauling scale. It has only one stable isotope, caesium-133. Caesium is mined mostly from pollucite. Caesium-137, a fission product, is extracted from waste produced by nuclear reactors. It has the largest atomic radius of all elements whose radii have been measured or calculated, at about 260 picometers.
Rubidium is the chemical element with the symbol Rb and atomic number 37. It is a very soft, whitish-grey solid in the alkali metal group, similar to potassium and caesium. Rubidium is the first alkali metal in the group to have a density higher than water. On Earth, natural rubidium comprises two isotopes: 72% is a stable isotope 85Rb, and 28% is slightly radioactive 87Rb, with a half-life of 48.8 billion years—more than three times as long as the estimated age of the universe.
Tellurium is a chemical element with the symbol Te and atomic number 52. It is a brittle, mildly toxic, rare, silver-white metalloid. Tellurium is chemically related to selenium and sulfur, all three of which are chalcogens. It is occasionally found in its native form as elemental crystals. Tellurium is far more common in the Universe as a whole than on Earth. Its extreme rarity in the Earth's crust, comparable to that of platinum, is due partly to its formation of a volatile hydride that caused tellurium to be lost to space as a gas during the hot nebular formation of Earth.
Caesium acetate or cesium acetate is an ionic caesium compound with the molecular formula CH3COOCs. It is a white solid that may be formed by the reaction of caesium hydroxide or caesium carbonate with acetic acid.
Caesium chromate or cesium chromate is an inorganic compound with the formula Cs2CrO4. It is a yellow crystalline solid that is the caesium salt of chromic acid, and it crystallises in the orthorhombic system.
Rubidium hydrogen sulfate, sometimes referred to as rubidium bisulfate, is the half neutralized rubidium salt of sulfuric acid. It has the formula RbHSO4.
Phosphorus selenides are a relatively obscure group of compounds. There have been some studies of the phosphorus - selenium phase diagram and the glassy amorphous phases are reported. The compounds that have been reported are shown below. While some of phosphorus selenides are similar to their sulfide analogues, there are some new forms, molecular P2Se5 and the polymeric catena-[P4Se4]x. There is also some doubt about the existence of molecular P4Se10.
Calcium selenide (CaSe) is a chemical compound consisting of the elements calcium and selenium in equal stoichiometric ratio.
Potassium selenide (K2Se) is an inorganic compound formed from selenium and potassium.
Caesium azide or cesium azide is an inorganic compound of caesium and nitrogen. It is a salt of azide with the formula CsN3.
Potassium telluride is an inorganic compound with a chemical formula K2Te. It is formed from potassium and tellurium, making it a telluride. Potassium telluride is a white powder. Like rubidium telluride and caesium telluride, it can be used as an ultraviolet detector in space. Its crystal structure is similar to other tellurides, which have an anti-fluorite structure.
Lithium selenide is an inorganic compound that formed by selenium and lithium. It is a selenide with a chemical formula Li2Se. Lithium selenide has the same crystal form as other selenides, which is cubic, belonging to the anti-fluorite structure, the space group is , each unit cell has 4 units.
Rubidium sulfide is an inorganic compound and a salt with the chemical formula Rb2S. It is a white solid with similar properties to other alkali metal sulfides.
Caesium sulfide (also spelled cesium sulfide in American English) is an inorganic salt with a chemical formula Cs2S. It is a strong alkali in aqueous solution. In the air, caesium sulfide emits rotten egg smelling hydrogen sulfide.
In chemistry, a polyselenide usually refers to anions of the formula (Sen)2-, where Se is the atomic symbol for the element selenium. Many main group and transition metals form complexes with polyselenide anions.
Caesium ozonide (CsO3) is an oxygen-rich compound of caesium. It is an ozonide, meaning it contains the ozonide anion (O3−). It can be formed by reacting ozone with caesium superoxide:
Rubidium ozonide is an oxygen rich compound of rubidium. It is an ozonide, meaning it contains the ozonide anion (O3−).
Caesium sesquioxide is a chemical compound with the formula Cs2O3 or Cs4O6. In terms of oxidation states, Caesium in this compound has a nominal charge of +1, and the oxygen is a mixed peroxide and superoxide for a structural formula of (Cs+)4(O−2)2(O2−2). Compared to the other caesium oxides, this phase is less well studied, but has been long present in the literature. It can be created by thermal decomposition of caesium superoxide at 290 °C.
Rubidium selenide is an inorganic compound composed of selenium and rubidium. It is a selenide with a chemical formula of Rb2Se. Rubidium selenide is used together with caesium selenide in photovoltaic cells.
