How do Noble Gases Bond

There are six naturally occurring noble gases found around our world and beyond. These are helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe) and radon (Rn). Together they form Group 18 of the periodic table and are characterised by their lack of colour, smell, taste and flammability in their natural state.

Despite being historically referred to as rare and inert, noble gases – which were designated ‘noble’ due to their apparent reluctance to undergo a chemical reaction – are nothing of the sort. In fact, all of these gases are found in Earth’s atmosphere and each is capable of being chemically active and producing compounds.

The majority of the noble gases – ie argon, krypton, neon and xenon – are formed via liquefaction and fractional distillation techniques, however helium is attained by separating it from natural gas and radon by isolating it from the radioactive decay of radium compounds.

As noble gases show extremely low chemical reactivity, while they are not inert, only a few hundred noble gas compounds have been formed to date, with xenon varieties making up the bulk. In theory, though, radon is more reactive than xenon, so should form chemical bonds more readily. However, its high radioactivity and short half-life are the key factors which prevent this.

There are many applications for noble gases. The most obvious and visible of these are illuminated signs, light bulbs and lamps, with xenon, argon and neon commonly used due to their lack of chemical reactivity. Using these gases helps to preserve filaments in light bulbs and grants distinctive colours when used in gas-discharge lamps.

Where are noble gases used?

Arc lamps – A specialised type of gas-discharge lamp, arc lights pass electricity through a bulb full of ionized gas, such as xenon or argon. They’re used in IMAX cinemas among other places.

Blimps – Today, most blimps are filled with helium due to its lightness and incombustibility. Hydrogen was used originally but was phased out due to its high flammability.

MRI scanners – One of the most advanced pieces of medical equipment, magnetic resonance imaging scanners use liquid helium to cool the superconducting magnets inside.

Illuminated signs – Many illuminated signs and billboards utilize noble gases due to their ability to generate vibrant colours when ionized -neon lights being a prime example.

Refrigerants – Due to their incredibly low boiling points – for instance, argon boils at -186 degrees Celsius (-302.8 degrees Fahrenheit) – the Group 18 gases are often used in cryogenics.

Radiotherapy – Despite the noble gas radon being highly radioactive and able to cause cancer, it can also be used as part of radiotherapy treatments to control or kill malignant cells.