词条 | argon |
释义 | argon chemical element ![]() In cosmic abundance, argon ranks approximately 12th among the chemical elements. Argon constitutes 1.288 percent of the atmosphere by weight and 0.934 percent by volume and is found occluded in rocks. Although the stable isotopes (isotope) argon-36 and argon-38 make up all but a trace of this element in the universe, the third stable isotope, argon-40, makes up 99.60 percent of the argon found on Earth. (Argon-36 and argon-38 make up 0.34 and 0.06 percent of Earth's argon, respectively.) A major portion of terrestrial argon has been produced, since the Earth's formation, in potassium-containing minerals by decay of the rare, naturally radioactive isotope potassium-40. The gas slowly leaks into the atmosphere from the rocks in which it is still being formed. The production of argon-40 from potassium-40 decay is utilized as a means of determining Earth's age ( potassium-argon dating). Argon is isolated on a large scale by the fractional distillation of liquid air. It is used in gas-filled electric light bulbs, radio tubes, and Geiger counters (Geiger counter). It also is widely utilized as an inert atmosphere for arc-welding metals, such as aluminum and stainless steel; for the production and fabrication of metals, such as titanium, zirconium, and uranium; and for growing crystals of semiconductors (semiconductor), such as silicon and germanium. Argon gas condenses to a colourless liquid at −185.8° C (−302.4° F) and to a crystalline solid at −189.4° C (−308.9° F). The gas cannot be liquefied (thermal fusion) by pressure above a temperature of −122.3° C (−188.1° F), and at this point a pressure of at least 48 atmospheres is required to make it liquefy. At 12° C (53.6° F), 3.94 volumes of argon gas dissolve in 100 volumes of water. An electric discharge through argon at low pressure appears pale red and at high pressure, steely blue. The outermost (valence) shell of argon has eight electrons (electron), making it exceedingly stable and, thus, chemically inert. Argon atoms (atom) do not combine with one another; nor have they been observed to combine chemically with atoms of any other element. Argon atoms have been trapped mechanically in cagelike cavities among molecules (molecule) of other substances, as in crystals of ice or the organic compound hydroquinone (called argon clathrates). atomic number 18 atomic weight 39.948 melting point −189.2° C (−308.6° F) boiling point −185.7° C (−302.3° F) density (1 atm, 0° C) 1.784 g/litre oxidation state 0 electronic config. 1s22s22p63s23p6 |
随便看 |
|
百科全书收录100133条中英文百科知识,基本涵盖了大多数领域的百科知识,是一部内容开放、自由的电子版百科全书。