The Noble Gases
Mike Mattei
Dan Hempsey
Dana Lynch
Group 18
 Known as “The Noble Gases”
 The unreactive elements: Helium, neon, argon,
krypton, xenon and radon
 Exist as single atoms instead of diatomic
molecules
 Rarely combine with other elements
Helium
HE
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Colorless
Oderless
Tasteless
Non toxic
Most abundant gas in
the universe
atomic
#2
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Helium remains liquid until
absolute zero
Divers and other people working
under pressure use a mixture of
helium and oxygen
used for filling balloons and
blimps.
Manhattan Project scientists
used helium to make the atomic
bomb
mixed with oxygen, in asthma
treatment because it diffuses
very easily through the lungs
Neon
NE
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•
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Sir William Ramsay discovered
neon shortly after the element
krypton in 1898.
highly inert
forms no known compounds
Largest use for neon is in
advertising signs
All noble gases produce a color
Helium- yellow
Neon- red orange
Aragon- violet
atomic
#10
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•
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gives a distinct reddish glow
when used in vacuum discharge
tubes and neon lamps.
Neon and helium together are
used to make gas lasers.
Functions in high voltage
indicators.
Argon
AR
• Greek meaning “inactive” due
to it’s inactivity
atomic
#18
• Discovered in 1894
 used to fill incandescent and
fluorescent light bulbs to
prevent oxygen from
corroding the hot filament.
• full outer shell makes it stable
and resistant to bonding with
other elements.
 forms inert atmospheres for
arc welding and growing
semiconductor crystals.
 dating rocks with a process
called Potassium-Argon
dating
Krypton
KR
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Discovered by William Ramsey
Greek wording meaning “hidden”.
White
Inert gas
 isolated from the air
by liquefaction as
the other noble
gases
atomic
#36
 Illuminate strips at
airports
 Used with nitrogen in
fluorescent light
bulbs so gases will
not burnout.
 Used in lighting and
photography
Xenon
XE
 Discovered by William
Ramsey
 is the rarest of the stable
noble gases in the air.
 The first noble gas
compound was
produced by Neil Bartlett
in 1964
 xenon, platinum and
fluorine.
atomic
#54
 Strobe lights
 once in photographic
flash cubes
 General anesthetic
Radon
RN
 Radioactive gas
 potential health hazard
in some homes
 Radon is found in
underground deposits
where it is produced by
uranium and radium
decay.
atomic
#86
 Uranium decays in rocks and
oils
 Breathing in for a long amount
of time can cause cancer