CHAPTER-3

NOBLE GASES
CONTENTS
Noble Gases

Electronic structure

Physical properties

Uses

Summary activities
 GROUP 0 – THE NOBLE GASES
Noble gases are in group 0 of the periodic table, on the right.
0
H He

Li Be B C N O F Ne

Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar

K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr

Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe

Cs Ba La Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn

Fr Ra Ac Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Ds Rg ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
 Why are noble gases so unreactive?
Chemical Inertness of these gases is due to following
reasons:
1. The atoms have stable completely field electronic
shells
2. They have high ionization energies
3. The noble have almost zero electron affinities.
Therefore, they do not have any tendency to gain,
lose or share electrons with other atoms.
 ELECTRON STRUCTURE AND REACTIVITY
All noble gases have full outer electron shells and do not need
to gain, lose or share electrons. This means that:

helium ● They are very stable and the

2 most unreactive (or inert) of
all the elements.

neon
2,8 ● They do not normally form
bonds with other elements.

● They are monatomic, which

argon means they exist as individual
2,8,8 atoms. Most other gases are
diatomic.
 GROUP 8 BECOMES GROUP 0
Why is group 0 not called group 8, even though it comes after
group 7?
It used to be called group 8, and still is in some cases.

8
0
In the rest of the periodic table, the number of
He the group is the same as the number of outer
Ne shell electrons in the elements of that group.

Ar
However, this is not true for the noble gases.
Kr Helium only has 2 electrons in its outer shell,
while the others all have 8. The group’s
Xe number was changed to 0 because of this.
Rn
 GLOSSARY
● density – A measure of mass in a given volume. Often
expressed in g/dm3.
● inert – Describes a substance that is unreactive under
normal conditions.
● monoatomic – An element that exists as a single atom.
● noble gas – An element belonging to group 0 of the
periodic table.
● trend – A gradual change in a property or characteristic of
elements in the same group of the periodic table.
 CONTENTS
Noble Gases

Discovery and electron structure

Physical properties

Uses

Summary activities
 GENERAL PROPERTIES OF NOBLE GASES
All noble gases are colourless, odourless and unreactive.
This makes them difficult to isolate and identify.

Noble gases are so unreactive, there are few patterns, or

trends, among the group.
- THERE ARE ALSO TRENDS IN BOILING POINT.

Can you predict the BPs of Kr, Xe and Rn

 CONTENTS
Noble Gases

Discovery and electron structure

Physical properties

Uses

Summary activities
 USES OF NOBLE GASES
Although noble gases are unreactive, they are still very useful elements.

Many uses of noble gases depend on their ability to prevent

other and undesirable reactions taking place.
 USES OF HELIUM
Helium is used as:
● The gas for inflating balloons and airships,
because it is less dense than air and
inflammable.
● A component of breathing gas (with oxygen)
● for deep-sea divers, because it is unreactive, insoluble and prevents
divers getting ‘the bends’.

● A protective gas for growing silicon crystals in

silicon chip manufacture, because it is unreactive.
● A super-coolant for high-performance magnets
e.g. in body scanners, because it has a very
low boiling point (-269 °C).

• Helium is less dense than air, so it’s great for all kinds of balloons.
•Helium balloons lift instruments into the upper atmosphere to
measure atmospheric conditions.
 USES OF NEON
Neon is used:
● In ‘neon’ advertising signs,
because it glows red when an
electric current is passed
through it.

● In TV tubes.

● In certain types of lasers.

● As a cryogenic refrigerant
(when liquid).
 USES OF ARGON
Argon is used:
● In normal wire-filament light bulbs, because it is unreactive
and prevents the tungsten filament from burning.

● In energy-efficient
fluorescent light bulbs.

● As a ‘gas blanket’ for arc welding, because it is

unreactive and prevents the hot welding metal from
oxidizing.
 USES OF OTHER NOBLE GASES
Krypton is used:
● In lighthouses and other types of lamps( airport
landing lights)
● In lasers for eye surgery, to stop bleeding on the retina.

Xenon is used:
● In various types of electron tubes, lamps , photographers
flash gun and lasers.

Radon is used:
● To treat cancer by radiotherapy, because it is radioactive.

Radon is radioactive and it is also an environmental

hazard.
TRUE OR FALSE?
Some facts…

1) All of the noble gases have a full outer

shell, so they are very _____________

2) They all have low melting and boiling points

3) They exist as single atoms rather then diatomic molecules

4) Helium is lighter then air and is used in balloons and

airships (as well as for talking in a silly voice)

5) Argon is used in light bulbs (because it

is so unreactive) and argon , krypton
and neon are used in fancy lights
 CONTENTS
Noble Gases

Discovery and electron structure

Physical properties

Uses

Summary activities
 GLOSSARY
● density – A measure of mass in a given volume. Often
expressed in g/dm3.
● inert – Describes a substance that is unreactive under
normal conditions.
● monoatomic – An element that exists as a single atom.
● noble gas – An element belonging to group 0 of the
periodic table.
● trend – A gradual change in a property or characteristic of
elements in the same group of the periodic table.