Argon
💡 In Your World
Argon is the third most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere (~0.93%), after nitrogen and oxygen. Because it is so unreactive, it's perfect for creating an inert (non-reactive) shield. It's widely used in welding to protect the hot metal from reacting with air. It's also used to fill traditional incandescent light bulbs to prevent the tungsten filament from burning out.
📖 The Discovery Story
In 1894, English scientists Lord Rayleigh and Sir William Ramsay noticed that nitrogen produced from chemical reactions was lighter than "nitrogen" from the air. They correctly hypothesized that another, heavier gas was present in the air. After isolating it, they found it was completely unreactive. They named it "argon" from the Greek word argos, meaning "inactive" or "lazy."
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Gas |
| Melting Point | -189.3 °C / -308.7 °F |
| Boiling Point | -185.8 °C / -302.4 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Ne] 3s²3p⁶ |
| Abundance in Earth's Atmosphere | 0.934% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
As a noble gas, argon is non-toxic and completely inert. However, like nitrogen, it is an asphyxiant. In a poorly ventilated, enclosed space, it can displace oxygen, leading to dizziness, loss of consciousness, and death from lack of oxygen.