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Chapter 7: Problem 7

Until the early 1960 s, the group 18 elements were called the inert gases. (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
The term "inert gases" was dropped because it was discovered that Group 18 elements can form chemical compounds under certain conditions, despite their low reactivity. This change in name was triggered by the synthesis of xenon hexafluoroplatinate (XePtF6) by Neil Bartlett in 1962, which demonstrated that these elements are not entirely inert. The current name for Group 18 elements is "noble gases," representing their low reactivity while acknowledging their ability to participate in chemical reactions.

Step by step solution

01

(a) Reason for dropping the term "inert gases"

The term "inert gases" was dropped because it was initially believed that the group 18 elements were completely unreactive due to their full valence electron shells. However, as more knowledge was gained, it was discovered that these elements can, in fact, form chemical compounds under certain conditions, albeit they have low reactivity.
02

(b) Discovery that triggered the change in name

The discovery that led to the change in the name of Group 18 elements was the synthesis of xenon hexafluoroplatinate (XePtF6) by British chemist Neil Bartlett in 1962. This was the first compound made using a Group 18 element, which demonstrated that these elements are not entirely inert and can participate in chemical reactions under certain conditions.
03

(c) Current name of Group 18 elements

The current name for the Group 18 elements in the periodic table is "noble gases." This name was given as these elements show a very low reactivity due to their full valence electron shells, making it hard to form compounds with them, thus giving them an appearance of 'nobility'. However, it also acknowledges that they can still participate in chemical reactions, unlike the previous term "inert gases" which implies they are completely unreactive.

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