Xenon :: essays research papers

XenonXenon is element physical body 54 on the periodic table of the elements. It has amass of about 131 atomic mass units. There be 77 neutrons and 54 protons inthe nucleus of the atom. The symbol for atomic number 54 is Xe and it belongs to thefamily of elements called the baronial gases. It is called a noble gas because thevalance shell of one atom contains a complete shell. Xenon is one of the moststable elements on the table. The 54 electrons atomic number 18 arranged, so that there atomic number 182 in the 1st shell, 8 in the 2nd, 18 in the 3rd, 18 in the 4th and last 8 inthe 5th shell. The melting and boiling points of xenon are extremely low. Theyare -111C and -107C respectively.Xenon and most of the otherwise noble gases were discovered by Sir WilliamRamsey and M.W. Travers from England in 1898. The two scientists discovered it erroneously enchantment experimenting with crude atomic number 36, another noble gas. They wereseparating the elements in the crude krypto n through with(predicate) a ferment called fractionaldistillation. In fractional distillation, the process separates two elementsthat scram different boiling points. Basic-ally, when a sample is heated, the sudden element leaves first, leaving the second element behind. Krypton wasknown to have a boiling point at a temperature that is lower than xenon. So thescientists could predict that heating the mixture would leave krypton in thecontainer, while the faster boiling xenon leaving it. After the two scientists unconnected krypton and xenon, they identified it as a new element through theemission spectrum of the gas.Xenon is use heavily in light bulbs. numerous of the bulbs in cameraflashes have xenon in them, because they can be used over 10,000 times withoutburning out, as well as producing a good balance of all colors. Xenon is alsoused in medical purposes. Local anesthesia is made up of 20% oxygen and 80%xenon. Xenon also can be injected or breathed into the body to give clea rerM.R.I.s or X-rays. In addition to the uses above, xenon is also in movieprojector lamps, advertising lights, and bubble put up, Bubble chambers aredevices used by physicists that are used to detect thermonuclear radiation. Theelement is very chemically stable and unradioactive and is generally not ruinousto man. Xenon is also nonflammable. It is only when it combines with otherelements that xenon becomes hazardous. Xenon compounds are highly radioactive.This element accounts for a very minimal amount of the earths crust. scarcely3x10-9% of the earth contains xenon.