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X. enon:. A presentation on the most noble of gases. As written by Catharine Whiddon. Periodicals.
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X enon: A presentation on the most noble of gases As written by Catharine Whiddon
Periodicals Xenon, which can be shortened to its symbol Xe, is one of the noble, or inert, gases. Xenon takes the atomic number 54 and has an atomic mass of 131.293. It is in group 18 and period 5 of the periodic table.
The Face of Xenon Xenon, being a gas, isn’t exactly something that’s very photogenic. It does, however, react to black light, or ultraviolet light. A vial of Xenon under black, or ultraviolet, light.
Atomic Xenon A 2D picture of an atom of Xenon
Physical Attributes Xenon is a normally colorless gas. It emits a blue glow when exposed to an electric discharge. Xenon can be produced to be colored, or even have a metallic appearance! Xenon is one of the heaviest gases. It melts at 161.3 K and boils at 166.1 K.
Chemical Attributes Xenon, being a Noble or inert gas, does not react with many other elements. Eventually, chemists discovered various compounds that can be made with Xenon, though it still does not react with many other elements.
Xenon’s Usefulness Xenon doesn’t have too many uses. It is mainly used in special lamps because it glows when an electrical charge is passed through it. It can also be found in some ultraviolet lights, such as the ones used to sterilize equipment in labs and hospitals.
Historical Facts Xenon’s existence was first discovered by Sir William Ramsay and Morris Travers. They discovered it in 1898 in an experiment involving cooling air to a liquid state, and identifying each gas boiling off as they heated the air to a gaseous state. There was only very little Xenon in the air they used, as Xenon is only there to the extent of 0.087 ppm in the atmosphere.
Isotopes and Compounds Xenon was thought to be a completely inactive gas, and scientists still haven’t discovered too many Xenon compounds. Some of the ones they have discovered include Xenon Trioxide (XeO 3 ) and Xenon Oxytetrafluoride (XeOF 4 ). There are also nine naturally occurring isotopes of Xenon.
Fun Facts Xenon is one of few completely colorless and odorless gases, though varieties can be created with color. It makes up only 0.087 parts per million of the atmosphere and is four times heavier than Oxygen. When excited by electricity, it releases a blue-white glow.
