Xe
131.290Xenon
Ksenon
Xenon is a noble gas with atomic number 54. It is used in high-intensity lamps, flash tubes, ion propulsion, anesthesia research, xenon fluorides and nuclear science, where xenon-135 is a powerful reactor poison.
54
131.29 g/mol
[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁶
2 | 8 | 18 | 18 | 8
2.6
5.48e-3 g/cm³
-111.7 °C
-108.1 °C
William Ramsay
Xenon was discovered in 1898 by William Ramsay and Morris Travers in the residue left after evaporating liquid air. Its name comes from the Greek xenos, meaning stranger or foreigner.
Xenon-124
Natural abundance: About 0.095%. Very rare isotope studied for double electron capture.Xenon-129
Natural abundance: About 26.4%. NMR-active isotope used in hyperpolarized xenon MRI research.Xenon-132
Natural abundance: About 26.9%. The most abundant natural xenon isotope.Xenon-136
Natural abundance: About 8.9%. Used in double beta decay and dark matter research.Xenon-135
Half-life: About 9.1 hours. Fission product with an extremely high neutron absorption cross section; a reactor poison.XeF₂
Xenon DifluorideFluorinating reagent and selective silicon etchant.XeF₄
Xenon TetrafluorideFluorinating reagent and classic noble gas compound.XeO₃
Xenon TrioxidePowerful oxidizer studied in inorganic chemistry.- Xenon arc lamps for cinema projection, searchlights and solar simulators
- Xenon flash lamps for photography and laser pumping
- Ion propulsion in spacecraft using Xe⁺ ions
- Xenon difluoride for fluorination and silicon etching in microfabrication
- Xenon radioisotopes for lung ventilation imaging and nuclear monitoring
Xenon has no known essential biological role. At high concentrations it can act as an anesthetic, partly through effects on NMDA receptors, but cost limits routine medical use.
- Xenon chemistry helped overturn the old idea that noble gases were completely inert.
- Xenon ion thrusters provide high fuel efficiency for long-duration spacecraft missions.
- Xenon-135 is called a reactor poison because it absorbs neutrons extremely strongly.
- Hyperpolarized xenon-129 can help image air spaces in the lungs.
- Xenon has atomic number 54 and closes period 5 as a group 18 noble gas.
- Its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁶.
- Unlike lighter noble gases, xenon forms several stable compounds with fluorine and oxygen.
- Remember XeF₂ for silicon etching and Xe-135 for reactor poisoning.
What is the atomic number of xenon?
The atomic number of xenon is 54.
What is the electron configuration of xenon?
Xenon has the electron configuration [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁶.
What is xenon used for?
Xenon is used in arc lamps, flash lamps, ion propulsion, specialized medical imaging, anesthesia research and xenon fluorides.
Can xenon form compounds?
Yes. Xenon can form compounds such as xenon difluoride, xenon tetrafluoride and xenon oxides.
Why is xenon used in ion propulsion?
Xenon is heavy, inert and easy to ionize, making it a practical propellant for electric spacecraft thrusters.
What is xenon-135?
Xenon-135 is a radioactive fission product with very strong neutron absorption, making it important in nuclear reactor control.