noble gas

noun

, Chemistry.

1. any of the chemically inert gaseous elements of group 8A or 0 of the periodic table: helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon.

noble gas

noun

1. another name for inert gas

noble gas

/ nō′bəl /

1. Any of the six gases helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon. Because the outermost electron shell of atoms of these gases is full, they do not react chemically with other substances except under certain special conditions.
2. Also called inert gas
3. See Periodic Table

Word History and Origins

Origin of noble gas¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Those reaction-resistant atoms became known as the inert or noble gases, as under ordinary conditions they all existed in the gaseous state.

From Science News

Many agricultural experiments include a mix of noble gases and air to yield ions of nitrogen and oxygen.

From Science News

These include plasma generated using noble gases, as well as plasma generated from air.

From Science News

By measuring the proportion of isotopes in the noble gases, researchers could determine if the mantle had already released its gases into the atmosphere at the time of the diamond’s creation.

From Popular-Science

Broadley and his colleagues found that the composition of noble gases in these billions-year-old diamonds closely matched the composition found in today’s upper mantle.

From Popular-Science