Noble gas
group of chemical elements in column 18 of the periodic table, that tend to be chemically inert and thus form odorless, colorless, monatomic gases with low reactivity; consists of helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon, and possibly oganesson
The noble gases (historically the inert gases, sometimes referred to as aerogens) are the members of group 18 of the periodic table: helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), radon (Rn) and, in some cases, oganesson (Og). Under standard conditions, the first six of these elements are odorless, colorless, monatomic gases with very low chemical reactivity and cryogenic boiling points. The properties of oganesson are uncertain.
The intermolecular force between noble gas atoms is the very weak London dispersion force, so their boiling points are all cryogenic, below 165 K (−108 °C; −163 °F).
The noble gases' inertness, or tendency not to react with other chemical substances, results from their electron configuration: their outer shell of valence electrons is "full", giving them little tendency to participate in chemical reactions. Only a few hundred noble gas compounds are known to exist. The inertness of noble gases makes them useful whenever chemical reactions are unwanted. For example, argon is used as a shielding gas in welding and as a filler gas in incandescent light bulbs. Helium is used to provide buoyancy in blimps and balloons. Helium and neon are also used as refrigerants due to their low boiling points.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Noble gas” is group of chemical elements in column 18 of the periodic table, that tend to be chemically inert and thus form odorless, colorless, monatomic gases with low reactivity; consists of helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon, and possibly oganesson. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Noble, group and chemical, not as a finished interpretation.
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The phrase “group of chemical elements in column 18 of the periodic table, that tend to be chemically inert and thus form odorless, colorless, monatomic gases with low reactivity; consists of helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon, and possibly oganesson” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 15, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q19609. The Library of Congress control number is sh85053403. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
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This entry incorporates text from “Noble gas” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.