Argon is a colourless, odourless noble gas, is inert to other substances. It is an unreactive metal and thus forms very few compounds. Argon gas is the third most abundant gas in the atmosphere. It is non-combustible in nature.
General Information About Argon:
- Symbol: Ar
- Atomic Number: 18
- Group no in the periodic table: 18
- Period no in the periodic table: 3
Manufacture/ Production: In the case of industrial extraction of argon gas, the process of fractional distillation is used. Argon is an impurity left out when nitrogen reacts with magnesium or calcium.
Uses of Argon:
- Uses in Lighting: This gas is used in lighting in a neon tube. There are quite a few reasons why this gas is preferred for this purpose. One is that when electricity is passed through this gas, it emits a purple-blue glow. Once it starts getting charged, it emits light at a lower voltage which saves money.
- Home fixtures: It may be surprising for one to know that this gas can also be helpful at home. It is used for thermal insulation in windows; to be more precise, it fills gaps in the double glazed windows.
- Manufacturing Industry: Argon is widely used in the welding and casting industries, more popularly in alloys and titanium. It protects the preparing metals from oxygen during arc welding. Argon also reduces chromium losses in the manufacture of steel in a converter. It is used as a hydrogen remover in aluminium manufacture.
- Scuba Diving: Argon, inert gas and low thermal conductivity, is used as a dry suid insulator for scuba diving.
- Food and Drink Industry: Since Argon is an unreactive metal, it is also used in the food and drink industry. It is added in wine bottles to displace air; being denser, it forms a layer above the wine, protecting the wine from oxidation and souring. This is the same in the case of soft drinks and other bar drinks.
- Document Preservation: Argon gas being inert, forms a protective layer in the atmosphere, which thus prevents damage during storage or display. This method is used to preserve old documents and files.
Random uses of Argon Gas:
- It is used when one wants to achieve an inert atmosphere.
- It is also used for tyres in luxury cars.
- It is also found in fire extinguishers and airbag inflation.
Inhalation: Argon, when inhaled in excessive quantity, results in vomiting, dizziness, consciousness loss, nausea and also death.
Storage: The cylinders containing argon gas must be stored upright, with a well-ventilated area, i.e. dry and cool. Argon, when appropriately stored, is safe to use and very beneficial.
To buy argon gases there are various places, but buying from an authorised store is safer and advisable, or else one can face some issues. Core gas is a trusted store for buying argon gas and has all instructions to handle. Therefore, it is a trustworthy place to buy.
Argon is a non-reactive gas, and it has multiple uses and benefits. Everyone is breathing a small amount of Argon now, whether they are aware or not because it is present in the atmosphere. However, excess inhalation can be harmful to life. The list above will help one get an informative knowledge on the same.