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Chapter 7: Problem 79

Until the early 1960 s the group 8 A elements were called the inert gases; before that they were called the rare gases. The term rare gases was dropped after it was discovered that argon accounts for roughly \(1 \%\) of Earth's atmosphere. (a) Why was the term inert gases dropped? (b) What discovery triggered this change in name? (c) What name is applied to the group now?

Short Answer

Expert verified
(a) The term "inert gases" was dropped because these elements were found to possess some reactivity and could form compounds under certain conditions. (b) The discovery of xenon hexafluoroplatinate by Neil Bartlett in 1962 triggered the change in name. (c) The group 8A elements are now called "noble gases" due to their relatively low reactivity.

Step by step solution

01

Answer (a) Why was the term inert gases dropped?

The term "inert gases" was dropped because scientists found that the elements in this group aren't completely non-reactive or inert. Some compounds can be formed by these gases under certain conditions, meaning they have a certain degree of chemical reactivity.
02

Answer (b) What discovery triggered this change in name?

The discovery that initiated the change in the name of the group 8A elements from "inert gases" to another name was the formation of the first noble gas compound (Xenon hexafluoroplatinate) by the British chemist Neil Bartlett in 1962. This compound showed that the noble gases could indeed react and form compounds under the right circumstances.
03

Answer (c) What name is applied to the group now?

After the discovery of the chemical reactivity of the group 8A elements, they are now commonly referred to as the "noble gases" due to their relatively low reactivity and their refusal to form compounds under normal conditions.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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