Look at the SIZE of that thing

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Feb. 27th, 2013 | 07:00 pm

From the "I-wouldn't-drop-that-if-I-were-you" department:

Image: Dnn87 at en.wikipedia; cc-by-sa-3.0

That's a sample of 99.999% pure cesium... a whopping 1.36 kilograms of it, to be precise, stored in a massive ampoule in (I assume) mineral oil.

No, you definitely don't want to drop that. Just looking at that thing gives me the shivers.

Tags: chemistry

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Comments {14}

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from: schnee
date: Feb. 27th, 2013 06:50 pm (UTC)
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I'm sure it would, and I wouldn't want to be around to experience it. :P

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from: ducktapeddonkey
date: Feb. 27th, 2013 07:05 pm (UTC)
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Why is the end shaped like a butt plug?

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from: schnee
date: Feb. 27th, 2013 07:34 pm (UTC)
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I'm not sure, to be honest. I imagine it's for when you want to use the contents — you'd break off that part, although what you might need 1.36 kilograms of cesium for, I have no idea.

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from: tzisorey
date: Feb. 27th, 2013 11:50 pm (UTC)
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That's 1.36kg? I had no idea it was that dense. Not that I make a habit of thinking about such things, I guess...

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from: schnee
date: Feb. 27th, 2013 11:54 pm (UTC)
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It's fairly dense as far as alkali metals are concerned, yeah. And that ampoule IS huge.

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from: gorn_captain
date: Feb. 28th, 2013 06:48 am (UTC)
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Is it even legal for a private citizen to own something like that? I hope this guy lives out in the middle of nowhere, because I get the feeling he was juggling this and the camera he took the picture with!

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from: schnee
date: Feb. 28th, 2013 10:11 am (UTC)
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His userpage on Wikipedia states that he's from Denmark — I'd imagine he cleared this thing with Danish authorities (would be difficult to even import it otherwise, one imagines), but I'd not be surprised if he had had to get a special permit of some kind.

And yeah, for the sake of his neighbors (and everyone, really), one can only hope he doesn't live in an apartment block right in the middle of a busy city. :)

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from: mikazo
date: Mar. 1st, 2013 07:56 am (UTC)
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I sense a new Simpsons episode. "Homer, I really don't think we should keep that thing in the house!"

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from: schnee
date: Mar. 1st, 2013 09:33 am (UTC)
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*chuckles* You nailed both Homer and Marge there in one quote. (I'd watch that, too!)

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from: fargowolf
date: Mar. 1st, 2013 04:25 pm (UTC)
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Wikipedia article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cesium

HOPEFULLY, this person knows to keep it WELL away from water.

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from: schnee
date: Mar. 1st, 2013 05:21 pm (UTC)
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I'd imagine he does — I doubt you're gonna be able to obtain such a sample if you're not familiar with the element's basic properties. I hope. :)

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Look at the SIZE of that thing - Schnee's journal

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