History Physical Properties Isotopes Uses Interesting Facts Bibliography Glossary
	By, Matt
	History: Xenon was discovered by Ramsay (click to learn more) and Travers in 1898 when they noticed the residue left after evaporating liquid air. Xenon is a member of the "noble" or "inert" gasses. A noble or inert gas is a gas that is stable and doesn't have any violent reactions. This only occurs when an element has all of its "rings" or "energy levels" completely filled to the max. with electrons. Xenon is found in the atmosphere in the amount of about one in twenty million parts. Xenon is found in the Martian atmosphere in the measurement of 0.08 ppm (part per million). The xenon element is found in the gases evolved from certain mineral springs and is commercially collect by extraction from liquid air.
	Isotopes: Natural Xenon is made up of nine stable isotopes. Twenty unstable isotopes have been characterized. Before 1962, it had been assumed that Xenon, along with other noble gasses weren't able to form any type of compound. Evidence has been showing lately in the past few years that Xenon does form compounds. The "compounds" of Xenon now found are sodium perxenate, Xenon deuterate, Xenon hydrate, difluoride, tetra fluoride, and hexafluoride. Xenon tiroxide, is the compound of Xenon that is very explosive. Some Xenon compounds are colored, unlike the element Xenon that has no color at all. Metallic Xenon can be created only when using several hundred killobars of pressure. When Xenon is placed in a vacuum tube, and electrons are short through to excite it, Xenon is known to have different colors that is glows. One of them is a brilliant blue glow.
			Uses: Xenon gas is used in making electron tubes, strobe lamps, and bactericidal lamps. Xenon is used in the nuclear energy field in the bubble chambers, probes and other tools where a high moecular weight is needed. The perxenates are used in analytical chemistry as oxidizing agents. Xenon element is available in sealed glass containers of gas at standard pressure. Xenon isn't toxic, but when turned into a compound, it can be highly toxic because of its strong oxidizing properties.
	Physical Properties: Atomic Number: 54 Density g/mL 5.89 Atomic weight: Melting point: 161.36 Bonding Radius: 1.31 Boiling point: 165.03 Atomic radius: 1.24 Heat of Vaporization: kJ/mol 12.636 Ionization Potential: 12.13 Heat of fusion: kJ/mol 2.297 Electronegativity: none Specific heat: J/gK: 0.158
			Interesting Facts: It is the heaviest of the noble gasses with a density of over 5 times the density of oxygen. Xenon comes from the Latin word "xenos" that means "strange one" Noble gasses were believed to be unreactive with other elements. In 1962, Neil Bartlett, found that Xenon directly reacts with fluorine. The first noble gas compound ever created was called Xenon Hexafloride Even though Xenon is a noble and stable gas, it's compound, xenon trioxide is highly explosive. Xenon and the other noble gasses, give off a large glowing light when excited by electric charges. Xenon is known to glow blue or give off a radiant white light if excited by electric currents.
	Bibliography: "Agenda to the Elements" Stwertka, Albert, Oxford University press, 1996 Webelementts Periodic table Pictorial Periodic Table Periodic Table of Elements http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/media/element-pics/Xe.jpg http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/media/kossel-pics/Xe.jpg http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/media/xtal-image/Xe-bs.jpg http://www.chemicalelements.com/bohr/b0054.gif http://www.nobel.se/chemistry/laureates/1904/ramsay.jpg http://www.nobel.se/chemistry/laureates/1904/ http://lunar1.homestead.com/files/Sigs/xenon2.gif http://www.animationfactory.com/animations/objects/water_bubbles/sink_vanity_lights_on_off_md_clr.gif
	Glossarry: Compounds: A compound is one or more element combined to make a new object or gas that has different chemical and physical properties from the elements that created it. Noble Gas: A noble gas is an element that doesn't re-act strongly because it has its out side energy level completely filled with valence electrons, there for it doesn't need to combine to fill its outer energy level. Dispite not needing to combine, Xenon is known to make compounds with Florine. (to find more about florine, click HERE)  Inert Gasses: Not readily active with other elements and form few or no chemical compounds.
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