Argon 4.8

Colorless, odourless, non-toxic, incombustible, extremely chemically inert gas (noble gas). Air contains 0.93% of argon and this can be obtained by obtained from it by fractional distillation of liquid air. Because of its low thermal conductivity, argon is used for filling incandescent lamps and gas discharge tubes, sometimes mixed with other noble gases to achieve particular colour effects.

The most important use of argon is as a shielding gas in the extraction and machining of metals, e.g. in the electrical welding of steel, copper, aluminum and magnesium, as well as in titanium manufacture. Argon is often used mixed with a small proportion of foreign gas.

The radioactive argon isotope is used in the investigation of gas flows, e.g. in air conditioning installations, and when searching for leaks on gas pipes.

Argon was discovered by the Englishmen Rayleigh and Ramsay in 1894 as a constituent o fair, when they found that atmospheric nitrogen, after removing the oxygen, had a greater density then pure nitrogen obtained chemically.

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