Noble Gases Flashcards
1
Q
What group are the noble gases in?
A
- 0
2
Q
Describe noble gases
A
- They are inert compared with other elements, which means it is very difficult for them to react with anything
3
Q
Why is it difficult to make them react?
A
- Because noble gas atoms already have full shells
4
Q
Describe the discovery of noble gases
A
- Lord Rayleigh was measuring the densities of different gases when he noticed the density of pure nitrogen made in chemical reactions was less than the density made in air
5
Q
What happened after this discovery?
A
- Sir William Ramsey heard about these results and hypothesised that the nitrogen made from air also contained a denser gas
6
Q
So what did the chemists do?
A
- Carried out careful experiments to test the hypothesis in which they discovered a new gas, which they called argon.
7
Q
What are two uses of noble gases?
A
- Helium has a low density and so is used for filling balloons and airships
- Argon is used in fire-extinguishing systems because it is not flammable
