Information AboutArgon |
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Argon is the Chemical Element in the Periodic Table that has the symbol '''Ar''' and Atomic Number 18. The third Noble Gas , in group 18, argon is present in the Earth's Atmosphere at slightly less than 1 %. This makes it the most common noble gas on Earth. NOTABLE CHARACTERISTICS Argon is 2.5 times as Soluble in water as Nitrogen which is approximately the same solubility as Oxygen . This highly stable chemical element is colorless and odorless in both its liquid and gaseous forms. There are few known true chemical compounds that contain argon, which is one of the reasons it was formerly called an inert gas. The creation of Argon Hydrofluoride (HArF), a highly unstable compound of argon with Fluorine , was reported by researchers at the University Of Helsinki in 2000, but has not been confirmed as of yet. Although no ''chemical'' compounds of argon are presently confirmed, argon can form Clathrates with Water when atoms of it are trapped in a lattice of the water molecules. Theoretical calculations on computers have shown several argon compounds that should be stable but for which no synthesis routes are currently known. APPLICATIONS It is used in Incandescent Lighting since it will not react with the Filament in a Lightbulb even under high temperatures and other cases where diatomic nitrogen is an unsuitable (semi-) Inert gas. Other uses:
HISTORY Argon ( Greek ''argos'' meaning "inactive") was suspected to be present in air by Henry Cavendish in 1785 but was not discovered until 1894 by Lord Rayleigh and Sir William Ramsay in an experiment in which they removed all of the Oxygen and Nitrogen from the air. OCCURRENCE This gas is isolated through liquid air Fractionation since the Atmosphere contains only 0.934% volume of argon (1.29% mass). The Martian atmosphere in contrast contains 1.6% of argon-40 and 5 Ppm of argon-36. In 2005, the '' Huygens '' probe also discovered the presence of Ar-40 on Titan , the largest moon of Saturn {Link without Title} . COMPOUNDS Before 1962, argon and the other noble gases were generally considered to be chemically inert and not able to form compounds. However, since then, scientists have been able to force the heavier noble gases to form compounds. In 2000, the first argon compounds were formed by researchers at the . ISOTOPES The main Isotope s of argon found on Earth are 40Ar, 36Ar, and 38Ar. Naturally occurring 40 K with a Half-life of 1.250 x 109 years, decays to stable 40Ar (11.2%) by Electron Capture and by Positron Emission , and also transforms to stable 40Ca (88.8%) via Beta Decay . These properties and ratios are used to determine the age of Rocks . In the Earth's atmosphere, 39Ar is made by Cosmic Ray activity, primarily with 40Ar. In the subsurface environment, it is also produced through Neutron Capture by 39K or Alpha Emission by Calcium . 37Ar is created from the decay of 40Ca as a result of subsurface Nuclear Explosions . It has a half-life of 35 days. REFERENCES EXTERNAL LINKS
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