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Difficulty: MediumNoble Gases: Isolation, Electronic Structure, and Uses

During the industrial isolation of atmospheric gases from liquid air, argon is obtained in a significantly higher yield than any other noble gas. Which chemical property of argon makes it superior to nitrogen for filling high-temperature electric filament bulbs?

  1. Argon is a monatomic gas with a stable octet configuration, rendering it completely chemically inert even at white-hot temperatures where nitrogen would react with the tungsten filament.Answer
  2. B
    Argon has a higher boiling point than nitrogen, causing it to condense inside the bulb and cool the filament during operation.
  3. C
    Argon acts as an efficient reducing agent that chemically converts any evaporated tungsten oxide back into metallic tungsten.
  4. D
    Argon forms a stable diatomic gas that readily reacts with trace oxygen to produce a protective nitride coating on the filament.

Answer

Argon is a monatomic gas with a stable octet configuration, rendering it completely chemically inert even at white-hot temperatures where nitrogen would react with the tungsten filament.
The correct answer highlights that argon has a stable octet valence shell (3s23p63s^2 3p^6). At white-hot temperatures inside an incandescent light bulb, nitrogen gas can react with tungsten to form nitrides, shortening the filament life. Argon is completely inert and monatomic, preventing oxidation or chemical degradation of the filament.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the electronic structure of argon.
Argon (atomic number 18) has an electronic configuration of 2,8,8 (or 1s22s22p63s23p61s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6), possessing a full octet in its outermost shell.
A full octet gives argon extreme chemical inertness.
2
Compare argon's chemical reactivity at high temperatures with nitrogen.
Nitrogen (N2N_2) can react with tungsten at white-hot temperatures (above 2000∘C2000^\circ\text{C}) to form tungsten nitride, whereas argon remains completely unreactive.
High heat in light bulbs can break nitrogen's triple bond and cause chemical reaction with the metal filament, whereas argon cannot react.

Key Concept

Chemical inertness of noble gases due to stable octet electronic structure and their application as protective atmospheres.
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Topics

Noble Gases: Isolation, Electronic Structure, and Uses

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