chemistry

[dorter]

Since they are totally unreactive, how do you test for the inert (noble) gases such as argon, neon etc?

[rekstout]

Take a sample and use a mass spectrometer?

[dorter]

but how do you know you have a correct sample - you can only compare to what is already known, so how was it determined in the first place?

[ewand]

Though the noble gases are "considered" to be unreactive, due to having full valence shells, they can hydrate. Argon, for example, does form a hydrate with a dissociation pressure of 105 atm at 0�C. Ion molecules of argon have also been observed, including (ArKr)+, (ArXe)+, and (NeAr)+. Argon forms a clathrate with b hydroquinone, which is stable yet without true chemical bonds. When these compounds are formed, they can be isolated and analysed. Mass spectrometry is a method used to determine the masses of atoms or molecules in which an electrical charge is placed on the molecule and the resulting ions are separated by their mass to charge ratio. Therefore, you don't need to have a pure sample of any of the noble gases to identify them, providing you have the other information available to you.......hope this helps!

[rekstout]

Yeah - I was just about to say that myself.

[dorter]

thanks people!!