Xenon

Xenon,  ₅₄Xe

General properties
Name, symbol	Xenon, Xe
Appearance	Colorless gas Exhibits a blue glow when placed in a high voltage electric field
Xenon in the periodic table
Kr ↑ Xe ↓ Rn Iodine ← Xenon → Caesium
Atomic number	54
Standard atomic weight (Ar)	131.293(6)
Group, block	, p-block
Period	period 5
Electron configuration	[Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p6
per shell	2, 8, 18, 18, 8
Physical properties
Colorless
Phase	Gas
Melting point	161.40 K ​(−111.75 °C, ​−169.15 °F)
Boiling point	165.051 K ​(−108.099 °C, ​​−162.578 °F)
Density at  (0 °C and 101.325 kPa)	5.894 g/L g/L
when liquid, at	2.942 g/cm3 g/cm3 b.p.
Triple point	161.405 K, ​81.77 kPa
Critical point	289.733 K, 5.842 MPa
Heat of fusion	2.27 kJ/mol
Heat of	12.64 kJ/mol
Molar heat capacity	21.01 J/(mol·K)
pressure
Atomic properties
Oxidation states	0, +1, +2, +4, +6, +8 ​ ​(rarely more than 0; a weakly acidic oxide)
Electronegativity	Pauling scale: 2.6
energies	1st: 1170.4 kJ/mol 2nd: 2046.4 kJ/mol 3rd: 3099.4 kJ/mol
Covalent radius	140±9 pm
Van der Waals radius	216 pm
Miscellanea
Crystal structure	​face-centered cubic (fcc)
Speed of sound	gas: 169 m/s liquid: 1090 m/s
Thermal conductivity	5.65×10−3 W/(m·K)
Magnetic ordering	Diamagnetic
CAS Registry Number	7440-63-3
Discovery and first isolation	William Ramsay and Morris Travers (1898)

Xenon is a chemical element with symbol Xe and atomic number 54. Along with krypton and radon, it is the only noble gas to form true chemical compounds.

Properties

Chemical

Xenon is nonreactive with all chemical compounds, but it can react with fluorine to form xenon fluorides and most notable platinum hexafluoride to form xenon hexafluoroplatinate. Xenon oxides and oxyhalides are also known, and all these are powerful oxidizers and explosives, though they're expensive. Perxenates, XeO4−
6, are extremely powerful oxidizers capable of oxidizing metals to their highest oxidation state.

Unfortunately, as xenon compounds can only be made with the super dangerous fluorine and fluorine compounds and the relative high price of xenon, their chemistry is not accessible to the amateur chemist.

Physical

Xenon is a dense, colorless, odorless, non-flammable gas. At standard temperature and pressure, pure xenon gas has a density of 5.761 g/cm³, while as a liquid, xenon has a density of up to 3.100 g/mL, with the density maximum occurring at the triple point. Xenon has a relative narrow liquid phase range, boiling at −108.099 °C and melting at −111.75 °C. Only krypton and radon have wider liquid phase range. An interesting property of xenon is its high polarizability due to its large atomic volume, and thus is an excellent solvent. It can dissolve hydrocarbons, biological molecules, and even water.

Availability

Xenon is available as compressed xenon in metal cylinders, and is sold by various compressed gas companies. However, xenon it's an expensive element.

Xenon lamps are also a source, though a poor one.

Isolation

Xenon can be isolated from the fractional distillation of air, but this process is too expensive for the amateur chemist to be feasible.

Projects

• Deep voice
• Discharge lamps
• Element collecting
• Inert atmosphere (though expensive)

Handling

Safety

Being a noble gas, xenon is non-toxic. However, it dissolves in blood and belongs to a select group of substances that penetrate the blood–brain barrier, causing mild to full surgical anesthesia when inhaled in high concentrations, with oxygen. Inhaling large amounts of xenon can lead to asphyxiation, as it displaces the air from lungs.

Xenon compounds are toxic, corrosive and strong oxidizers, as well as explosive. However, the chance of encountering such compounds is very low.

Storage

Xenon cylinders should be placed in cold places, away from any heat and light, preferably in an area above the ground.

Disposal

Xenon can be safely released in air.

References

Relevant Sciencemadness threads

• XENON liquid scintillation
• Isolating Xenon - and its biological (anaesthetic) effects