Xenon
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| General Properties | |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 54 |
| Atomic mass | 131.293amu |
| Atomic radius | 108pm |
| Electron Configuration | [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p6 |
| Density | 0.00537g/cm3 |
| Melting point | -111.75°C |
| Boiling point | -108.10°C |
| First discovered/ developed | 1898 |
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Description and uses
Xenon is the 54th element of the periodic table, and it occurs naturally in air. It was discovered in 1898 by William Ramsay and Morris Travers by extracting it
from liquid air.
Its main use is in specific, electrically controlled light sources, such as camera flashes and sunbeds. Like many noble gases, it produces a bright, colourful
glow when an electric current is passed through it - in xenon's case, the glow is a bright blue colour.
Xenon has 9 naturally occurring isotopes, with atomic weight ranging from 124 to 136. The most abundant isotope is 132Xe, with an abundance of around
27%. Both 124Xe and 136Xe are radioactive, with half lives of 1.8x1022 years and 2.2x1021 years respectively.