Atomic Mass: 131.29 g.
Family: Noble Gas
Group: 8A
Period: 5
Atomic Number: 54
Melting Point: -112ºC
Boiling Point: -107ºC
Density: 5.9 g/l @ 273 K
Basic Facts
Description
Xenon is a rare, colorless, odorless, tasteless, heavy gas. At first it was thought to be totally inactive, but then in 1962, chemists started making other xenon compounds.
Uses
Xenon has very little commercial use, but is mainly used for stroboscopic lamps, lights for motion pictures, lamps to project ultrviolet light, and xenon "blue" headlights used on some cars.
History
- Discovered by Sir William Ramsay and Morris Travers in 1898
- Comes from the Greek word "xenos" meaning "stranger"
- Discovered in the residue left after evaporating liquid air components.
- Had to work with large volumes of air because xenon is only present in atmosphere at about 0.087 ppm.
Isolation Technique
Xenon is present to a small extent in the atmosphere (0.087 ppm) and is obtained as a byproduct from the liquefaction and separation of air. This would not normally be carried out in the laboratory and xenon is available commercially in cylinders at high pressure.
Fun Facts
- Produces a brilliant white flash when it's electrically excited
- Xenon ions were used as fuel in an experimental ion engine aboard the space probe Deep Space.
- It's the only noble gas that's able to form a compound.
- Xenon ions were used as fuel in an experimental ion engine aboard the space probe Deep Space.
- It's the only noble gas that's able to form a compound.
Atomic Structure
Xenon "blue" headlights
Xenon photographic lamp.
Ultraviolet Light.
By: Ann Carpenter