Cesium's atomic number is 55 and its symbol is Cs. 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. It ignites spontaneously in air, and reacts explosively with water even at low temperatures, more so than the other alkali metals. It even reacts with ice at temperatures as low as −116 °C (−177 °F).Because of the bright blue lines in its emission spectrum, its name was derived from the Latin word caesius, meaning sky-blue. To obtain the first pure sample of Cesium, 44,000 liters (9,700 imp gal; 12,000 US gal) of mineral water had to be evaporated to yield 240 kilograms (530 lb) of concentrated salt solution, which were required to start the purification process. This display is contained within crystal clear Lucite acrylic.
Product information
Wash with mild soap or detergent and lukewarm water. Use a clean, soft cloth, or sponge. Rinse and blot dry with a damp cloth or chamois.
*Never use abrasive cleaners, household cleaners, window-cleaning fluids, scouring compounds, gritty cloths, or strong solvents such as alcohol, acetone, carbon tetrachloride, etc.*
To maintain the brilliant luster of acrylic, wax and occasionally with a quality grade of automobile paste wax (NOT A CLEANER WAX COMBINATION.) Apply a thin coat with a clean, cotton flannel cloth. Then wipe with a clean damp cloth. NEVER USE HOUSEHOLD SPRAY WAXES.
Proudly made in the U.S.A.
Customer Reviews
Overall rating: 4.9 / 5 from 12 reviews.
Finally get to experience the most reactive metal and the least electronegative element from the safety of an acrylic cube (and its low melting point makes it fun to play with as a bonus)! The minor downside is that the cesium is only ~99% pure as some of it is stuck to the glass ampoule and can't come off no matter how many freezing and melting cycles I do (see photos). If it were 99.99+% pure it wouldn't stick to the glass and would've been more fun to play with.
Product arrived 3 days early. Packaged well and was in perfect condition. This element cube now adorns my workstation and is a real jewel of technology, very contemplative. I uploaded a video of the cube on a black display turntable; it is somewhat hypnotic with the lights flashing as the cube rotates.
Store owner replied:
We are so glad you love it! Thank you!
Ahh Cesium, a metal more expensive gram for gram than gold, I believe the only other pure metal to have a gold colour, but you really don’t want your ring made of it! Course if it was exposed to the air it would immediately blacken, melt and likely self ignite. This metal just doesn’t want to be!
Inside the cube it’s a brilliant sample, slightly more than I was expecting! It’s been artfully melted into one place in the argon filled tube, and it’s a beautiful, eye catching piece.
Course with a melting temp of 28.5°C, I could always stick it in the oven and try to crystallise it or move it around but for now, I love the look of it and it’s a brilliant addition to my collection.
5 Star for Engineered Labs
Store owner replied:
Thank you for sharing Alex! We really appreciate your passion!
Beautiful liquid gold. Beautiful element, and beautifully made. I stick it in a 37°C oven in my lab to melt it and I crystallize it. It’s gorgeous and entertaining, especially on late nights in the lab when you’re waiting for an experiment to finish before you can go home
We’ve been waiting a long time for this cube, but it was worth it. As usual, the craftsmanship is beautiful, it looks very impressive, and the cesium is stunning. Just imagine—one of nature’s most reactive elements, enclosed in an acrylic cube! It’s simply amazing!
The craftmanship that went into this cube is incomprehensible. From the absolutely perfect glass ampule, to the cesium being heated up and cooled onto a specific spot of the glass to make it more visually pleasing. This is the best way to show this beautiful element naturally.