Argon

What is argon?
Argon is a gaseous element. It is the 3rd most common gas on Earth. It was discovered by Sir William Ramsay of Scotland in 1894. Argon forms a clathrate with b hydroquinone, which is stable yet without true chemical bonds. Argon is two and a half times more soluble in water than nitrogen, which is the exact same solubility as water has to oxygen.


Argon is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless noble gas, but turns electric blue when mixed with other elements, as seen to the right. The blue inside the tube is argon, while the glow is being produced by the mercury around the tube's inside.

What is argon used for?
While argon doesn't have AS MANY uses as some other elements I have covered previously, it is very important and is used in:

• Electric Lights
• Fluorescent Tubes
• Photo Tubes
• Glow Tubes
• Lasers

Argon is also used as an inert gas for welding and cutting, blanketing reactive elements, and as a protective atmosphere for growing silicon and germanium crystals.

Where does argon come from?
Argon is prepared by fractionating liquid air. The Earth's atmosphere contains 0.94% argon, while Mars' atmosphere contains 1.6% argon. Argon was the first noble gas ever to be discovered. Along with argon, Sir Ramsay discovered all of the other noble gases except for raden. Argon is also produced commercially by fractional distillation of air.