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GCSE Level Chemistry Notes: Physical & chemical properties of Group 0/8 Noble Gases
The Group 0 NOBLE GASES of the Periodic Table Doc Brown's Chemistry KS4 GCSE level Science Revision Notes All my GCSE Chemistry Revision notes Use your mobile phone in 'landscape' orientation? email doc brown - comment? query? This is a BIG website, you need to take time to explore it [ SEARCH BOX]Sub-index for this page on the Group 0 Noble Gases of the Periodic Table - properties, group trends and uses
2. Introduction to the Group 0 Noble Gases 3. Group 0 Noble Gas trends in physical properties (data table) 4. Electron structure and lack of reactivity in noble gases5. Uses of the Group 0/8 Noble Gases6. Extra 'bits and bobs' on the Noble Gases 7. GCSE m/c QUIZ on Noble Gases 8. Multi-word fill worksheet on the Noble Gases See also Advanced A Level Chemistry Notes on the Group 0/18 Noble Gases BUT reading this page reminds you of what you theoretically leaned from GCSE/IGCSE/O Level courses on noble gases! So this page can act as a primer for the study of noble gases helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon Keywords and phrases for Group 0 Noble Gases argon uses * compounds * data on Group 0 noble gas elements * electron arrangement * helium uses * introduction * krypton uses * neon uses * radon dangers * xenon uses the uses of noble gases * extra information including a reaction! The Group 0 elements, the NOBLE GASES consist of helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon and radioactive radon. The chemical inertness of the noble gases is explained. The physical properties of the noble gases are described and the group trends of noble gases in terms of melting points, boiling points, density, chemical reactivity and atomic radii. The 'few' chemical properties of some noble gases e.g. xenon are mentioned. The uses of noble gases are also described and explained. These revision notes on noble gases should prove useful for the new AQA, Edexcel and OCR GCSE (9–1) chemistry science courses. Doc Brown's chemistry revision notes: basic school chemistry science GCSE chemistry, IGCSE chemistry, O level & ~US grades 8, 9 and 10 school science courses or equivalent for ~14-16 year old science students for national examinations in chemistry |
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Revision notes on the physical and chemical properties of the non-metal group 0 noble gases inert gases, explaining lack of chemical reactivity of noble gases, boiling/melting point trends of noble gases, uses of noble gases, help when revising for AQA GCSE chemistry, Edexcel GCSE chemistry, OCR GCSE gateway science chemistry, OCR GCSE 21st century science chemistry GCSE 9-1 chemistry examination questions on inert gases. 1. Where are the Group 0 Noble Gases in the Periodic Table?
THINKING AHEAD:
It is the similarity in electron structure (full outer shell) that makes the chemistry of group 0 noble gases non-metals similar - group 0 chemistry, of which there isn't a lot compared to most elements! Note: The group number for 1 to 7 is equal to the maximum valency of the element (except for O and F). Using 0 to denote the Group number of Noble Gases is very historic since no compounds of Noble Gases where known until the 1960s it was assumed their valency was 0. Now, since compounds of xenon exhibiting a valency of up to 8 have been synthesised, the noble gases can be legitimately called Group 8 of the periodic table, but group 0 has stuck!. Because of the horizontal series of elements e.g. like the Sc to Zn block (10 elements), Groups 3 to 8 can also be numbered as Groups 13 to 18, to fit in with the actual number of vertical columns of elements. This can make things confusing, but there it is, classification is still in progress! |
TOP OF PAGE and sub-index for noble gases page
2. Introduction to the Group 0 Noble Gases |
See data table below | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TOP OF PAGE and sub-index for noble gases page 3. Group 0 noble gas trends in physical properties (data table)
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4. Electron structure and
lack of reactivity in noble gases
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The electron arrangement of the first 4 Noble Gases with very stable full outer shells (are shown) making the noble gas elements VERY unreactive. Because the noble gas atoms have a full, and very stable, outer electron shell, they are very reluctant to share electrons to form a covalent bond OR lose/gain electrons to form an ion and ionic bond. As the atom gets bigger, the outer electrons are less strongly held and the lower member noble gases e.g. xenon can be tempted into chemically reacting with VERY reactive chemical reagents like fluorine (the most reactive non-metal). The electronic situation is quite different from: (i) the Alkali Metals, whose atoms readily lose an electron to form a positive ion with a noble gas arrangement, in an ionic compound like sodium chloride, NaCl, (ii) the Halogens, non-metal atoms, which readily gain an electron from a metal atom to form a negative ion with a noble gas arrangement, as in sodium chloride, AND, they also readily share an electron to form a covalent bond with other non-metals like hydrogen (HCl) or with themselves like the chlorine molecule, Cl2. |
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TOP OF PAGE and sub-index for noble gases page
5. Uses of the Group 0/8 Noble Gases The noble gases are non-flammable and chemically very unreactive and this chemical inertness is an important characteristic when understanding the uses and applications of noble gases and sometimes the low density is important too. |
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Uses of He helium |
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The noble gas helium gas is much less dense than air
(lighter) and is used in party balloons and 'airships' because it 'floats'
in air! Thanks Niamh, (aged 31/2 at the time), for putting up with
Granddad's camera work! Another advantage is that because of its inertness, helium doesn't burn in air UNLIKE hydrogen which used to be used in large balloons with 'flammable' consequences e.g. like the R101 airship disaster! Helium is also used in gas mixtures for deep-sea divers respiration. Liquid helium is used to achieve very low temperatures in cryogenics technology. Helium is used to protect metals that are being welded. The inert atmosphere stops the hot metal being oxidised giving a brittle coating of the metal oxide. |
Uses of Ne neon |
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The noble gas neon gives out 'white light' when high voltage electricity is passed through it, so neon is used in glowing 'neon' advertising signs and fluorescent lights. |
Uses of Ar argon |
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The noble gas argon, like all the Noble Gases is chemically
inert. It is used in filament bulbs because the metal filament will not burn
(oxidise) in
argon and it also reduces evaporation of the metal filament.
Argon is also used to produce an inert atmosphere in high temperature metallurgical processes, eg in welding where it reduces brittle oxide formation reducing the weld quality. Argon bubbles are used to stir mixtures in steel production. Argon is used in photographic flash lamps to stop the filament burning up in the high temperature flash. Argon is the cheapest noble gas to produce, it has the biggest % of any noble gas in air. |
Uses of Kr krypton |
The noble gas krypton is not used by superman! BUT krypton is used in
fluorescent bulbs, flash bulbs and laser beams.
Krypton stops the filament burning up in the high temperature flash lamps. |
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Uses of Xe xenon |
The noble gas xenon is good for winning scrabble games! AND
xenon also
used in fluorescent bulbs, flash bulbs and lasers! Xenon stops the filament burning up in the high temperature flash lamps. |
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Rn radon |
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The noble gas radon almost no uses, but does have dangers! Radio-isotopes of radon are produced by radioactive decay of heavy metals (e.g. uranium) in the ground. Radon can build up in cellars, especially in granite areas (where cellars should be well ventilated to avoid dangerous concentrations building up) because it is a decay product of unstable uranium isotopes in the granite rocks. Like all radioisotopes, isotopes of radon can cause cell damage (DNA) and ultimately cancer (see link below) if breathed in. However it is used in some forms of cancer treatment, though it always seems ironic that radioisotopes that cause cancer can also be used to kill cancer cells.. |
Revision notes on the physical and chemical properties of the non-metal group 0 noble gases inert gases, explaining lack of chemical reactivity of noble gases, boiling/melting point trends of noble gases, uses of noble gases, help when revising for AQA GCSE chemistry, Edexcel GCSE chemistry, OCR GCSE gateway science chemistry, OCR GCSE 21st century science chemistry GCSE 9-1 chemistry examination questions on inert gases. |
TOP OF PAGE and sub-index for noble gases page
6. Extra 'bits and bobs' on the Noble Gases |
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% noble gas in air by volume | 0.0005% He, 0.0018% Ne, 0.93% Ar, 0.0001% Kr, 0.00001% Xe, ?% Rn - impossible to be zero, but an extremely minute trace hopefully! (varies with local geology) | |
Radon dangers | Rocks, e.g. granite, can contain uranium metal compounds which are radioactive. When they 'decay' radioactively, radioactive and harmful radon gas can be formed. | |
Compounds of Noble Gases - yes they do exist! |
From the early
1960's compounds have been made, but only xenon compounds are stable and
usually combined with oxygen and fluorine, which, not surprisingly, are
the more reactive non-metals e.g.
Xe + 2F2 => XeF4 Using Ni catalyst 60oC, easy if you know how! and another catalytic example of a transition metal. |
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Advanced Level Students BUT reading this page reminds you of what you theoretically leaned from GCSE/IGCSE/O Level courses on noble gases! So this page can act as a primer for the study of noble gases helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon
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