Uses Of Noble Gas

USES OF NOBLE GAS

(A) HELIUM

1. Because of its lightness and non-inflammability helium is used to filling balloons for meteorological observations.

2. Because of its lightness it is used in inflating aeroplane tyres.

3. Helium oxygen mixture is used by deep-sea divers in preference to nitrogen oxygen mixtures. It is much less soluble in blood than N2. This prevents "bends" which is the pain caused by formation of nitrogen bubbles in blood veins when a diver comes to the surface.

4. A mixture of oxygen and helium is used in the treatment of asthma.

5. Liquid helium (b.pt 4.2K) is used as cryogenic agent for carrying out various experiments at low temperatures.

6. It is used to produce and sustain powerful super conducting magnets which form essential part of modern NMR Spectrometers and Magnetic Resonance Imaging system (MRI) for clinical diagnosis.

(B) NEON

1. Neon is used in discharge tubes and fluorescent bulbs for advertisement display purposes.

2. Mixed with helium it is used to protect electrical instruments from high Voltages.

3. It is also used in beacon lights for safety of air navigation as the light possesses fog and storm-penetrating power.

4. Neon light is used in botanical gardens as it stimulates growth and helps the formation of chlorophyll.

(C) ARGON

1. Mixed with 26% percent nitrogen it is used in gas filled electric lamps. 2. It is also used in radio valves and tubes.

(D) KRYPTON AND XENON

1. Krypton and xenon are also used in filling incandescent metal filament electric

bulbs.

2. They are also used to a small extent in discharge tubes.

(E) RADON

1. It is used in radioactive research and in radiotherapy for treatment of cancer.