Rubidium, a rare and dispersed alkali metal element, plays a significant role in the global competition in science and technology and industrial innovation by virtue of its unique physical and chemical properties. It is not only a core mineral for the development of strategic emerging industries such as aerospace, national defense and military industries, and information technology but also an indispensable basic raw material for promoting the research and development of modern high-tech. In the current situation of the rapid development of global science and technology and increasingly fierce competition, the importance of rubidium can no longer be ignored. For a country like China, which is in the critical period of economic structure transformation and seeking sustainable development, the discovery and effective utilization of rubidium are particularly crucial and of far-reaching significance.

Rubidium, an alkali metal element occupying a unique position in the periodic table of elements, is increasingly emerging in the global field of science and technology. With the continuous increase in the demand for clean energy, the applications of rubidium in solar photovoltaic cells, magnetohydrodynamic power generation, thermionic conversion power generation, and ion thrusters show broad prospects. These applications not only help to improve energy utilization efficiency and reduce dependence on traditional energy sources but also play a key role in promoting the transformation and upgrading of the global energy structure.

Meanwhile, in the field of new materials, rubidium has also attracted attention for its indispensable role. For example, in the manufacturing process of high-performance glass, the rubidium element can significantly improve the strength and light transmittance of the glass, enabling it to be widely used in high-end fields such as aerospace and national defense and military industries. In addition, rubidium is also an important catalyst that can promote the improvement of chemical production efficiency, reduce production costs, and provide strong support for the green development of related industries.

In the fields of national defense and military industries and aerospace, the application of rubidium is equally indispensable. Its application in high-performance radars, navigation systems, and time-frequency standard systems provides a solid technical guarantee for a country's national defense security and the development of the aerospace industry.

For China, the strategic position of rubidium is even more important. During the critical period of modernization construction, China's demand for key resources is showing a rapid growth trend. As a basic raw material supporting the research and development of modern high-tech, rubidium plays a decisive role in promoting China's economic transformation, upgrading, and sustainable development. With the wide application of the rubidium element in more fields, it will further drive the formation of new industrial chains and inject strong impetus into the high-quality development of China's strategic emerging industries.

In terms of chemical properties, rubidium exhibits extremely high reactivity. Due to its low ionization energy characteristics, rubidium can react with oxygen in the air even at room temperature and may even spontaneously ignite. Such reactive chemical properties require extra caution in the storage and use of rubidium to prevent possible safety hazards. Meanwhile, rubidium also has a relatively low melting point and a relatively high boiling point, and these characteristics make it possible for it to be used in certain specific application scenarios. In addition, its moderate density also brings convenience to its application in some fields.

Looking back at the discovery process of the rubidium element, we can trace it back to 1861. At that time, scientists conducted in-depth research on mineral water and lepidolite ores through spectral analysis methods and unexpectedly detected the existence of the rubidium element. This significant discovery not only added a new member to the periodic table of elements but also laid a solid foundation for subsequent in-depth research on the properties of the rubidium element. It is worth mentioning that the naming of rubidium is closely related to the color of its unique spectral line. In Latin, "rubidium" means "deep red", which precisely depicts the distinct red feature of rubidium in the spectrum. This naming not only highlights the uniqueness of the rubidium element but also provides convenience for scientists to identify and distinguish it during the research process.