Noble gases do not react with other gases in normal circumstances. That is why they are considered "noble"- above ordinary gases. Xenon is rarely found in the atmosphere. Its abundance in the air is around 0.1 parts per million. It was discovered by Scottish physicist Sir William Ramsey and English chemist Morris Travers in 1898. They used liquid air to discover Xenon. Air was first cooled to the lowest temperature to change it to liquid. As the air warmed up, gases like nitrogen, argon, and oxygen boiled off and left atmospheric gases behind among which xenon was found.
It was then named Xenon- Greek for 'stranger' as its identity was not known back then. It also does not occur in earth's crust, though it has been reported that Mars may have 0.08 parts in a million of Xenon in its atmosphere.
Physical properties
Xenon is both colorless and odorless. It has both a melting and a boiling point (-108.13 C). This is because it changes from gas into liquid and from liquid into solid.
Isotopes
Isotopes are forms of an element that have different mass numbers. Xenon (Xe) has 9 naturally existing Isotopes. These are Xe124, Xe126, Xe128, Xe129, Xe130, Xe131, Xe132, Xe134, and Xe136. Besides this, xenon has 18 radioactive isotopes. Radioactive isotopes have the property of breaking apart and give off radiation in the process. When atoms are fired with extremely small particles, radioactive isotopes are developed. Actually the particles stick within the atom to make it radioactive.
Xenon-127 and xenon-133 find their way into medicine to detect flow of blood through human brain and air flow in the lungs. Xenon easily moves through body after the patient inhales it through a mask. When xenon is inhaled, its radioactive isotopes produce radiation while travelling through the body giving indications to the doctor about lung inhalation mechanism.
Uses
Xenon is primarily used in lamps. It gives off light when electric current is passed through it. Fluorescent lamps and neon lights are developed from this process. The color of light depends on the gas present in the lamp. For brightness, sunny light Xenon is preferred. The flash units and other bright photographic lights are produced of Xenon reaction. High intensity lamps make use of Xenon for projecting movies. Recently, Xenon is being used in car head lights instead of Halogen, as the former is efficient and brighter. Xenon bulbs last for around 2000 hrs against halogen bulbs having a life expectancy of 400 hours.
Extremely sensitive laboratory equipment is sterilized with ultraviolet lights which may contain xenon to kill bacteria. A very interesting use of xenon is in strobe lights for capturing moments of objects. It tends to freeze the object movement by producing bright, intense light in split second pulses. The motion can then be broken into short intervals.
Effects
Xenon is usually a harmless gas as it does not react with other elements in the air. Some compounds of Xenon can however be toxic.
It was then named Xenon- Greek for 'stranger' as its identity was not known back then. It also does not occur in earth's crust, though it has been reported that Mars may have 0.08 parts in a million of Xenon in its atmosphere.
Physical properties
Xenon is both colorless and odorless. It has both a melting and a boiling point (-108.13 C). This is because it changes from gas into liquid and from liquid into solid.
Isotopes
Isotopes are forms of an element that have different mass numbers. Xenon (Xe) has 9 naturally existing Isotopes. These are Xe124, Xe126, Xe128, Xe129, Xe130, Xe131, Xe132, Xe134, and Xe136. Besides this, xenon has 18 radioactive isotopes. Radioactive isotopes have the property of breaking apart and give off radiation in the process. When atoms are fired with extremely small particles, radioactive isotopes are developed. Actually the particles stick within the atom to make it radioactive.
Xenon-127 and xenon-133 find their way into medicine to detect flow of blood through human brain and air flow in the lungs. Xenon easily moves through body after the patient inhales it through a mask. When xenon is inhaled, its radioactive isotopes produce radiation while travelling through the body giving indications to the doctor about lung inhalation mechanism.
Uses
Xenon is primarily used in lamps. It gives off light when electric current is passed through it. Fluorescent lamps and neon lights are developed from this process. The color of light depends on the gas present in the lamp. For brightness, sunny light Xenon is preferred. The flash units and other bright photographic lights are produced of Xenon reaction. High intensity lamps make use of Xenon for projecting movies. Recently, Xenon is being used in car head lights instead of Halogen, as the former is efficient and brighter. Xenon bulbs last for around 2000 hrs against halogen bulbs having a life expectancy of 400 hours.
Extremely sensitive laboratory equipment is sterilized with ultraviolet lights which may contain xenon to kill bacteria. A very interesting use of xenon is in strobe lights for capturing moments of objects. It tends to freeze the object movement by producing bright, intense light in split second pulses. The motion can then be broken into short intervals.
Effects
Xenon is usually a harmless gas as it does not react with other elements in the air. Some compounds of Xenon can however be toxic.