The noble gases are a group of chemical elements with very similar properties: under standard conditions, they are all inert, odorless, colorless, monatomic, tasteless, nonflammable gases, with very low chemical reactivity. A monatomic means a single atom.
The six noble gases that occur naturally are helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), and the radioactive radon (Rn).
The outer shell of valence electrons is considered to be "full" or octet, with 8 (except helium has 2) which makes it hard to make compound with them. The valence electrons are the ones that make chemical bonds. The noble gases are also called group 18 on the periodic table of elements.
| Atomic | Element | Electrons in |
| Number | Name | Each Shell |
| 2 | Helium | 2 |
| 10 | Neon | 2, 8 |
| 18 | Argon | 2, 8, 8 |
| 38 | Krypton | 2, 8, 18, 8 |
| 54 | Xenon | 2, 8, 18, 18, 8 |
| 86 | Radon | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 8 |
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| The Kidlet, Helium, 1-10-12. Marker on Cardstock, 3 ½ by 2 ½ inches. USA. |
Symbol: He
Atomic Number: 2
Atomic Weight: 4.002602
Description: Colorless, odorless, tasteless, nontoxic, inert, monatomic gas
Named for the Greek god of the sun, Helios.
Used for arc welding, growing silicon crystals, lifting balloons.
Helium is the second least reactive of the noble gases.
There is more helium in the universe than any other element except hydrogen.
Helium is lighter than air. It's boiling point and melting points are the lowest among all the elements.
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| The Kidlet, Neon, 1-10-12. Marker on Cardstock, 3 ½ by 2 ½ inches. USA. |
Symbol: Ne
Atomic Number: 10
Atomic Weight: 20.1797
Description: Colorless, odorless, inert, reddish-orange glow when used in lamps or tubes or neon signs.
Neon is the second lightest inert gas. Neon is the second lightest noble gas after helium. It is the first least reactive of the noble gases.
Neon came from the Greek word VEOV (Neon) meaning in English "new one," and was discovered by the British chemists Sir William Ramsay and Morris W. Travers in 1898.
A balloon full of neon will raise more slowly than a balloon full of helium.
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| The Kidlet, Argon, 1-10-12. Marker on Cardstock, 3 ½ by 2 ½ inches. USA. |
Symbol: Ar
Atomic Number: 18
Atomic Weight: 39.988
Description: Third most common gas in the earth's atmosphere. Makes a blue green gas laser. Colorless, odorless, tasteless, nontoxic, inert.
Comes from the Greek word APYAV meaning "lazy" or "the inactive one."
Argon can be a solid, liquid, or a gas.
It is cheaper than nitrogen.
It is used in graphite furnaces to keep the graphite from burning.
Neon is relatively expensive because you can only get it from the air.
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| The Kidlet, Krypton, 1-10-12. Marker on Cardstock, 3 ½ by 2 ½ inches. USA. |
Symbol: Kr
Atomic Number: 38
Atomic Weight: 83.798
Description: Colorless, odorless, tasteless, inert.
From the Greek KRYPTOS, "the hidden one."
Used with other rare gases in florescent lights. Nontoxic.
Was discovered by Sir William Ramsay and Morris W. Travers a week after they discovered Neon.
Superman's home was the planet of Krypton. The only thing that could make him weak, was Kryptnite, which was a fictional ore from his home.
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| The Kidlet, Xenon, 1-10-12. Marker on Cardstock, 3 ½ by 2 ½ inches. USA. |
Symbol: Xe
Atomic Number: 54
Atomic Weight: 131.293
Description: Colorless, heavy, odorless, tasteless, unreactive.
Was discovered by Sir William Ramsay and Morris W. Travers right after they discovered Neon and Kryton.
From the Greek word XENOS, meaning "foreign," "strange," "guest."
In the 1930s was used for photography strobe lights.
In a gas filled tube emits a blue or lavenderish glow when the is excited by electrical discharge.
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| The Kidlet, Radon, 1-10-12. Marker on Cardstock, 3 ½ by 2 ½ inches. USA. |
Radon
Symbol: Rn
Atomic Number: 86
Atomic Weight: 222
Description: Radio active, colorless, odorless, tasteless, causes lung cancer. Lasts 3.8 days. No very reactive. One of the heaviest gases, expensive to buy: $8,000 per milliliter.
It is names after the element radium which it comes from.
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