Noble Gases

Posted on September 28, 2013 Updated on October 4, 2013

Noble Gases

Atomic Radius:

        The atomic radius of noble gases increases at a constant rate. The number of outer shells increases by 1 as you go down the list. Here is a picture showing you the atom structure and a table showing you the number of shells the atom has:

Location on the periodic Table:

        Noble gases are the last group on the periodic table because the outermost shell of all the gases are always full. Which means they all have 8 electrons in the outermost shell, putting them in group 8A also known as the 18th group on the periodic table.

Reactivity:

        Noble gases are generally not reactive because their outer shells are “closed” meaning that if they wanted to use ionic bonding to remove their electrons it would would take a while since there are always 8 on the outer shell. Because the outer shell of noble gases if always full, they are extremely stable, causing them to not have to form chemical bonds or gain or lose electrons.

Melting and Boiling Points:

        The melting and boiling points of very low compared to the other elements on the periodic table. Even though they are quite low, the melting and boiling points increase as you go down the list. Noble gases have very low densities, the gases melt and boil extremely fast because of their element’s physical

Uses:

Noble gases have some important industrial functions. For example, Helium is used by diver to dilute the oxygen they breathe while they’re under water, Argon is used to provide an inert atmosphere for high-temperature metallurgical processes, and Neon and Argon are used for filling discharge tubes. Noble gases are not found easily. There are small quantities of Noble Gases in the atmosphere.