Xenon

Located at Group 18 and Period 5 of the Periodic Table is the element used in lights for photographic flashes. This is Xenon.

First discovered by Sir William Ramsay and Morris W. Travers in 1898 and also isolated Xenon in 1898 when studying Liquefied air.

As everyone knew, the category of Noble Gases has been discovered by both Sir William Ramsay and Morris W. Travers ( except for Oganesson, it is one of the Heavy - Element ) while studying Liquefied Air. Xenon was isolated at the same year where Krypton and Argon has been discovered    ( also by them! ).

Liquefied Air

Sir William Ramsay and his assistant Morris W. Travers were studying liquefied air when they discovered Xenon. They were actually using the Liquid - Air machine to extract their newly discovered Krypton, which they extracted it for more research purposes. However, when there is though nothing was left inside the machine, suddenly, they found a higher density air in the liquefied air which is a residue that none of them has seen before.

Liquid - Air Machine

Instantly, they went to research this element. It wasn't until 1898 where both scientist Sir William Ramsay and Morris W. Travers only knew that it was a new element they discovered.

Xenon must be extracted carefully at William's times because not much technology were 'up' that time. So, extracting Xenon is an experiment to be done in great care.

At that time, William and Morris used the States of Matter, where when gas was cooled, it turns to liquid. And when liquid was cooled further, it turns to solid.

Solid Liquid Gas

However, different element have different boiling point. So, William and Morris turned Air into Liquefied Air, then place it into the Liquid - Air Machine. The gas with the lowest boiling point boils away first, which is Nitrogen. As the temperature increases, the gas with the second lowest boiling point boils away, which is Argon. As the temperature increases further, another gas with the third lowest boiling point burns away. So, which left the other gases.

After 3 major gases burns away, that leaves other gases. At this part, procedure of Liquid - Air burning must be handled properly. Because Nitrogen, Argon and Oxygen makes up 99.95 percent of air, so they Liquid - Air machine left 0.05 percent of other gases. At this point, both scientist must have good eyes to see whether there are remains of the element. They continue to heat up the Liquefied air until the gas with the highest boiling point was left : Xenon.

So, finally, the element Xenon was isolated.

Modern Liquid Air Machine

Now, Xenon was still isolated using the same method both scientist done the time they discovered Xenon, which is using the Liquid - Air Machine. Of course, the method of extracting Xenon has gone much easier. Still, it is just the improvised version of Liquid - Air Machine, which uses Fractional Distillation.

Fractional Distillation of Liquid Air

Xenon is actually neither a poisonous nor reactive element. However, because of its high concentrations, inhaling Xenon can be very dangerous to our body where it could result in dizziness, nausea and vomiting. Too much of inhaling might even cause unconsciousness and even death.

But you need not worry of inhaling it while inhaling oxygen! Unlike Nitrogen, Xenon is quite rare in the earth's atmosphere, which it is just estimated to be about 0.1 parts per million of Xenon in the Atmosphere.

So don't worry, just breathe freely!

Atomic Number : 54
Name : Xenon
Latin Name : Xenos
Electrons per Shell : [ 2, 8, 18, 18, 8 ]
Discoverer : Sir William Ramsay and Morris W. Travers (1898)
Isolator : Sir William Ramsay and Morris W. Travers ( 1898 )
Element's : Atomic Mass : 131.293 u
                  : Density : 5.761 kg/m3
                  : Type : Noble Gases
Chemical Properties : 

Xenon - 131

• Strong oxidizing properties
• non - reactive
• 52 isotopes : 3 of them are :
      Xenon - 130 : Protons : 54
                           : Neutrons : 76
                           : Electrons : 54
      ( Half Life : Stable )
  
      Xenon - 131 : Protons : 54
                           : Neutrons : 77
                           : Electrons : 54
      ( Half Life : Stable )
  
      Xenon - 132 : Protons : 54
                           : Neutrons : 78
                           : Electrons : 54
      ( Half Life : Stable )

Physical Properties : 

• colorless
• odorless
• non - toxic
• Melting Point : -111.8 degrees Celsius ( - 169.24 Fahrenheit )
• Boiling Point : 108.1 degrees Celsius ( 226.58 Fahrenheit )

How Xenon got its name?

Xenon got its name from the Greek word Xenos, meaning Stranger. Xenon was named so because of its late discovery despite its existence at the Earth's Atmosphere. It is also a subject of curiosity to its reactivity with several elements under specialized environment.

Uses

Xenon is used in lamps. This is because that when Electric Current passes through Xenon, it gives off light. Fluorescent and Neon lights are one of these examples. Xenon is also used whenever a very bright sunlight is needed, such as cameras.

Camera Speed Light

Xenon is also used in labs, which the bright light it sometimes produced can kill a bacteria.

THIS IS THE END OF XENON
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