Noble gas whose name comes from the greek for strange is called_____
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The noble gas whose name comes from the Greek word for “strange” is xenon. The name “xenon” is derived from the Greek word xenos, meaning “strange” or “foreign.” Xenon was first discovered in 1898 by Scottish chemist Sir William Ramsay and his colleague Morris Travers. This discovery was part of a series of important findings in the field of noble gases, a group of chemically inert gases that include helium, neon, argon, krypton, and radon.
Xenon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas at room temperature. It is found in trace amounts in Earth’s atmosphere, making up approximately 0.0000087% by volume. Despite its rarity in the atmosphere, xenon plays a significant role in various industrial and scientific applications due to its unique properties.
Xenon is considered chemically inert, much like other noble gases. However, it is more reactive than many of its counterparts, particularly under high pressure or when subjected to specific conditions. For instance, xenon can form compounds with other elements, such as xenon fluorides (e.g., xenon tetrafluoride, XeF4) and xenon oxides, which was an unexpected discovery when it was first identified.
Xenon has important uses in medicine, industry, and technology. In medicine, it is utilized as a general anesthetic in some cases, and it has been investigated for its potential in treating neurological conditions. In the field of lighting, xenon is used in high-intensity discharge lamps, such as those in automotive headlights and film projectors. Xenon is also used in spacecraft propulsion, where its high atomic mass allows it to be effective in ion thrusters, providing efficient propulsion for long-term space missions.
The element’s name reflects its initial rarity and unique behavior, contributing to its “strange” designation in the Greek language.