Everything You Need To Know About Noble Gases

We read about a lot of gases in our atmosphere. Oxygen is crucial for us because it supports life and also triggers combustion. Similarly, carbon-di-oxide has several industrial applications too. 

Nitrogen supports plant food and growth and provides an optimum environment for plant growth. These three gases are commonly found in our atmosphere. 

However, these are not noble gases because they do not have a full outer orbit. So, they are pretty reactive, and that’s why they are used in several laboratory experiments. On the other hand, Noble gases always find the last spot on the row in the periodic table. 

In this article, we throw some light on the uses of noble gases. 

What are noble gases?

When we write the atomic table for every element, we look at the number of electrons missing to make an element stable. Hence, the element is ready to react with other elements to form more stable molecules. Noble gases, on the other hand, are inert in nature. 

This means they are chemically unreactive. This is because their last orbit is completely full. A satisfied orbit denotes that the element does not need to seek stability externally. Hence, noble gases are very stable, and they do not react with other elements easily. 

List of noble gases with corresponding essential details 

Let’s take a look at the noble gases and general information about them. Discussed below is a tabular depiction of that information. The list has been arranged in the order of the periodic table. 

Facts about discovery 

Here is a list-wise detail regarding the discovery of the noble gases. Due credit must be given to the coveted scientists.

Inert gases applications 

Let’s look at different inert gases and their common applications in various industries. 

1. Helium 

• Helium is commonly used in weldings.
• The balloon industry has found wide applications of Helium. Inhaling Helium via balloons is also a fun activity.
• Helium is often used to treat breathing problems like asthma, emphysema, etc.
• Cryogenics has wide applications of Helium. How “cool” does that sound!
• Industries that often indulge in blowing up things via explosions use Helium for safety measures.
• This gas is also used in semiconductor processing.
• Additionally, the laser processing industry also uses Helium quite often.
• In the healthcare industry, Helium is used to produce MRI. 

2. Neon

• In the era of Cathode Ray Tube televisions, Neon was used in television tubes.
• We use Neon in the highly advanced laser industry.
• Neon is used as a safety measure when writing signboards. These boards light up when supplied with electricity. The visibility of these boards is higher than usual.
• Along with Helium, Neon is also used in cryogenics. 
• This gas is also used in wave meter tubes.
• Neon can work in collaboration with other elements such as Mercury to produce new and innovative lights. This is used in interior designing and landscaping.
• The electrical industry uses Neon to protect its equipment from lightning.
• Several aircraft parts also use Neon for safety purposes.

3. Argon 

• Argon is used to create a simulation of an inert atmosphere. This atmosphere is then used to carry out sensitive reactions consisting of highly reactive elements.
• Along with Helium, Argon is also used to weld metals.
• Light bulbs use Argon to protect themselves from corrosion.
• The automobile industry uses Argon in its luxury cars. This helps protect the tyres and reduce on-road noise.
• Argon has a very important role in Titanium production. 
• Radioisotope dating uses Argon in finding the age of archaic objects.
• In the modern age, we use Argon in 3-D printing. It is noteworthy that people are now building houses using these technologies.
• Argon is commonly used in Metallurgy to prevent corrosion and rusting. 
• Heat treating processes use Argon quite often.

4. Krypton

• Fluorescent lights use Krypton as their primary material.
• Krypton is commonly used in signboards in combination with Neon.
• In healthcare, we use Krypton in the MRI process.
• Space agencies use this gas as a propellant when launching satellites. 
• Additionally, we also use Krypton in nuclear medicines as a perforator.
• Flash lamps that are used in high-speed photography use Krypton as their primary material.
• Although nuclear fusion is still a dream, Krypton is constantly used in such experiments.
• Electromagnetic calorimeters also use this gas.

5. Xenon

• High-pressure arc lamps, which are common in several industries, use Xenon.
• For disinfectant purposes, bactericidal lamps use Xenon as a material. These lamps are used in the food processing industry.
• In the healthcare industry, Xenon is used in imaging the heart, brain and lungs.
• NMR Spectroscopy also uses Xenon. 

6. Radon 

• Radon is a radioactive gas, so it is commonly used in cancer treatment.
• Industrial radiography often uses Radon as a common material. 
• It is used in hydrological research.
• The health industry uses Radon to treat Arthritis.
• Surface geological faults can be studied through soil analysis using Radon.
• Polonium can be obtained through radioactive decomposition using Radon.
• It is also used in the treatment of tumours. 
• The hydrological research industry also uses Radon for various purposes. 
• The seismic research department uses Radon for earthquake predictions.
• Air mass tracking can be done by mapping Radon content. 

Conclusion

Inert gases have wide applications in several industries. All these uses can be asked as questions in several competitive exams. 

Therefore, be mindful of these and learn them if possible. Also, be thorough with the orbital formula of every gas and its inorganic structure. Additionally, learn the periodic table place for these gases for reference. 

You can use popular mnemonics to learn the periodic table to make names, atomic numbers, and symbols of the elements handy to remember.