Xe - Xenon
Xenon Element Information, Facts, Properties, Trends, Uses, Comparison with other elements
Xenon is a chemical element with symbol Xe and atomic number 54. It is a colorless, dense, odorless Noble Gas, that occurs in the Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts. Although generally unreactive, xenon can undergo a few chemical reactions such as the formation of xenon hexafluoroplatinate, the first Noble Gas compound to be synthesized.
It belongs to group 18 of the periodic table having trivial name noble gases, aerogens. You can also download Printable Periodic Table of Elements Flashcards for Xenon in a PDF format.
Xenon Facts
Read key information and facts about element Xenon
| Name | Xenon |
| Atomic Number | 54 |
| Atomic Symbol | Xe |
| Atomic Weight | 131.293 |
| Phase | Gas(Monoatomic Gas) |
| Color | Colorless |
| Appearance | colorless gas, exhibiting a blue glow when placed in a high voltage electric field |
| Classification | Noble Gas |
| Natural Occurance | Primordial |
| Group in Periodic Table | 18 |
| Group Name | helium family or neon family |
| Period in Periodic Table | period 5 |
| Block in Periodic Table | p-block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p6 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 18, 18, 8 |
| Melting Point | 161.3 K |
| Boiling Point | 165.1 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7440-63-3 |
How to Locate Xenon on Periodic Table
Periodic table is arranged by atomic number, number of protons in the nucleus which is same as number of electrons. The atomic number increases from left to right. Periodic table starts at top left ( Atomic number 1) and ends at bottom right (atomic number 118). Therefore you can directly look for atomic number 54 to find Xenon on periodic table.
Another way to read periodic table and locate an element is by using group number (column) and period number (row). To locate Xenon on periodic table look for cross section of group 18 and period 5 in the modern periodic table.
Xenon History
The element Xenon was discovered by W. Ramsay and W. Travers in year 1898 in United Kingdom. Xenon was first isolated by W. Ramsay and W. Travers in 1898. Xenon derived its name from the Greek xenos, meaning 'strange'.
| Discovered By | W. Ramsay and W. Travers |
| Discovery Date | 1898 in United Kingdom |
| First Isolation | 1898 |
| Isolated by | W. Ramsay and W. Travers |
On July 12, 1898 Ramsay separated a third noble gas within three weeks, from liquid argon by difference in boiling point.
Xenon Uses
Xenon is used in photographic flashes and arc lamps for movie sets. When coerced in an arc lamp, it can produce UV light. It is also used for radiation detection and in X-ray counters.
Xenon Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
The table below shows the abundance of Xenon in Universe, Sun, Meteorites, Earth's Crust, Oceans and Human Body.
| ppb by weight (1ppb =10^-7 %) | ppb by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %) | |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 10 | 0.09 |
| Abundance in Sun | - | - |
| Abundance in Meteorites | - | - |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.020 | 0.003 |
| Abundance in Oceans | 0.005 | 0.00024 |
| Abundance in Humans | - | - |
Crystal Structure of Xenon
The solid state structure of Xenon is Face Centered Cubic.
The Crystal structure can be described in terms of its unit Cell. The unit Cells repeats itself in three dimensional space to form the structure.
Unit Cell Parameters
The unit cell is represented in terms of its lattice parameters, which are the lengths of the cell edges Lattice Constants (a, b and c)
| a | b | c |
|---|---|---|
| 620.23 pm | 620.23 pm | 620.23 pm |
and the angles between them Lattice Angles (alpha, beta and gamma).
| alpha | beta | gamma |
|---|---|---|
| π/2 | π/2 | π/2 |
The positions of the atoms inside the unit cell are described by the set of atomic positions ( xi, yi, zi) measured from a reference lattice point.
The symmetry properties of the crystal are described by the concept of space groups. All possible symmetric arrangements of particles in three-dimensional space are described by the 230 space groups (219 distinct types, or 230 if chiral copies are considered distinct.
| Space Group Name | Fm_ 3m |
| Space Group Number | 225 |
| Crystal Structure | Face Centered Cubic |
| Number of atoms per unit cell | 4 |
The number of atoms per unit cell in a simple cubic, face-centered cubic and body-centred cubic are 1,4,2 respectively.
Xenon Atomic and Orbital Properties
Xenon atoms have 54 electrons and the electronic shell structure is [2, 8, 18, 18, 8] with Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) 1S0.
| Atomic Number | 54 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 54 |
| Number of Protons | 54 |
| Mass Number | 131 |
| Number of Neutrons | 77 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 18, 18, 8 |
| Electron Configuration | [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p6 |
| Valence Electrons | 5s2 5p6 |
| Valence (Valency) | 6 |
| Main Oxidation States | 0 |
| Oxidation States | 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 1S0 |
Bohr Atomic Model of Xenon - Electrons per energy level
| n | s | p | d | f |
|---|
Ground State Electronic Configuration of Xenon - neutral Xenon atom
Abbreviated electronic configuration of Xenon
The ground state abbreviated electronic configuration of Neutral Xenon atom is [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p6. The portion of Xenon configuration that is equivalent to the noble gas of the preceding period, is abbreviated as [Kr]. For atoms with many electrons, this notation can become lengthy and so an abbreviated notation is used. This is important as it is the Valence electrons 5s2 5p6, electrons in the outermost shell that determine the chemical properties of the element.
Unabbreviated electronic configuration of neutral Xenon
Complete ground state electronic configuration for the Xenon atom, Unabbreviated electronic configuration
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6
Electrons are filled in atomic orbitals as per the order determined by the Aufbau principle, Pauli Exclusion Principle and Hund’s Rule.
As per the Aufbau principle the electrons will occupy the orbitals having lower energies before occupying higher energy orbitals. According to this principle, electrons are filled in the following order: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d, 7p…
The Pauli exclusion principle states that a maximum of two electrons, each having opposite spins, can fit in an orbital.
Hund's rule states that every orbital in a given subshell is singly occupied by electrons before a second electron is filled in an orbital.
Atomic Structure of Xenon
Xenon atomic radius is 108 pm, while it's covalent radius is 130 pm.
| Atomic Radius Calculated | 108 pm(1.08 Å) |
| Atomic Radius Empirical | - |
| Atomic Volume | 22.4128 cm3/mol |
| Covalent Radius | 130 pm (1.3 Å) |
| Van der Waals Radius | 216 pm |
| Neutron Cross Section | 25 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.0083 |
Spectral Lines of Xenon - Atomic Spectrum of Xenon
A spectral line is a dark or bright line in an otherwise uniform and continuous spectrum, resulting from an excess or deficiency of photons in a narrow frequency range, compared with the nearby frequencies. Spectral lines are often used to identify atoms and molecules.
Spectral lines are the result of interaction between a quantum system and a single photon. A spectral line may be observed either as an emission line or an absorption line.
Spectral lines are highly atom-specific, and can be used to identify the chemical composition of any medium. Several elements, including helium, thallium, and caesium, were discovered by spectroscopic means. They are widely used to determine the physical conditions of stars and other celestial bodies that cannot be analyzed by other means.
Emission spectrum of Xenon
Absorption spectrum of Xenon
Xenon Chemical Properties: Xenon Ionization Energies and electron affinity
The electron affinity of Xenon is 0 kJ/mol.
| Valence | 6 |
| Electronegativity | 2.6 |
| ElectronAffinity | 0 kJ/mol |
Ionization Energy of Xenon
Ionization energy is the amount of energy required to remove an electron from an atom or molecule.in chemistry, this energy is expresed in kilocalories per mole (kcal/mol) or kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).
Refer to table below for Ionization energies of Xenon
| Ionization energy number | Enthalpy - kJ/mol |
|---|---|
| 1st | 1170.4 |
| 2nd | 2046.4 |
| 3rd | 3099.4 |
Xenon Physical Properties
Refer to below table for Xenon Physical Properties
| Density | 0.0059 g/cm3 |
| Molar Volume | 22.4128 cm3/mol |
Elastic Properties
| Young Modulus | - |
| Shear Modulus | - |
| Bulk Modulus | - |
| Poisson Ratio | - |
Hardness of Xenon - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element
| Mohs Hardness | - |
| Vickers Hardness | - |
| Brinell Hardness | - |
Xenon Electrical Properties
Electrical resistivity measures element's electrical resistance or how strongly it resists electric current.The SI unit of electrical resistivity is the ohm-metre (Ω⋅m). While Electrical conductivity is the reciprocal of electrical resistivity. It represents a element's ability to conduct electric current. The SI unit of electrical conductivity is siemens per metre (S/m).
Xenon is a -. Refer to table below for the Electrical properties of Xenon
| Electrical conductors | - |
| Electrical Conductivity | - |
| Resistivity | - |
| Superconducting Point | - |
Xenon Heat and Conduction Properties
| Thermal Conductivity | 0.00565 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | - |
Xenon Magnetic Properties
| Magnetic Type | Diamagnetic |
| Curie Point | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | -4.3e-9 m3/kg |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | -5.65e-10 m3/mol |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | -2.54e-8 |
Optical Properties of Xenon
| Refractive Index | 1.000702 |
Acoustic Properties of Xenon
| Speed of Sound | 1090 m/s |
Xenon Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
Refer to table below for Thermal properties of Xenon
| Melting Point | 161.3 K(-111.85 °C, -169.330 °F) |
| Boiling Point | 165.1 K(-108.05 °C, -162.490 °F) |
| Critical Temperature | 289.77 K |
| Superconducting Point | - |
Enthalpies of Xenon
| Heat of Fusion | 2.3 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 12.64 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | - |
Xenon Isotopes - Nuclear Properties of Xenon
Xenon has 38 isotopes, with between 110 and 147 nucleons. Xenon has 9 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
Isotopes of Xenon - Naturally occurring stable Isotopes: 124Xe, 126Xe, 128Xe, 129Xe, 130Xe, 131Xe, 132Xe, 134Xe, 136Xe.
| Isotope | Z | N | Isotope Mass | % Abundance | T half | Decay Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110Xe | 54 | 56 | 110 | Synthetic | ||
| 111Xe | 54 | 57 | 111 | Synthetic | ||
| 112Xe | 54 | 58 | 112 | Synthetic | ||
| 113Xe | 54 | 59 | 113 | Synthetic | ||
| 114Xe | 54 | 60 | 114 | Synthetic | ||
| 115Xe | 54 | 61 | 115 | Synthetic | ||
| 116Xe | 54 | 62 | 116 | Synthetic | ||
| 117Xe | 54 | 63 | 117 | Synthetic | ||
| 118Xe | 54 | 64 | 118 | Synthetic | ||
| 119Xe | 54 | 65 | 119 | Synthetic | ||
| 120Xe | 54 | 66 | 120 | Synthetic | ||
| 121Xe | 54 | 67 | 121 | Synthetic | ||
| 122Xe | 54 | 68 | 122 | Synthetic | ||
| 123Xe | 54 | 69 | 123 | Synthetic | ||
| 124Xe | 54 | 70 | 124 | 0.09% | Stable | N/A |
| 125Xe | 54 | 71 | 125 | Synthetic | ||
| 126Xe | 54 | 72 | 126 | 0.09% | Stable | N/A |
| 127Xe | 54 | 73 | 127 | Synthetic | ||
| 128Xe | 54 | 74 | 128 | 1.92% | Stable | N/A |
| 129Xe | 54 | 75 | 129 | 26.44% | Stable | N/A |
| 130Xe | 54 | 76 | 130 | 4.08% | Stable | N/A |
| 131Xe | 54 | 77 | 131 | 21.18% | Stable | |
| 132Xe | 54 | 78 | 132 | 26.89% | Stable | N/A |
| 133Xe | 54 | 79 | 133 | Synthetic | ||
| 134Xe | 54 | 80 | 134 | 10.44% | Stable | N/A |
| 135Xe | 54 | 81 | 135 | Synthetic | ||
| 136Xe | 54 | 82 | 136 | 8.87% | Stable | N/A |
| 137Xe | 54 | 83 | 137 | Synthetic | ||
| 138Xe | 54 | 84 | 138 | Synthetic | ||
| 139Xe | 54 | 85 | 139 | Synthetic | ||
| 140Xe | 54 | 86 | 140 | Synthetic | ||
| 141Xe | 54 | 87 | 141 | Synthetic | ||
| 142Xe | 54 | 88 | 142 | Synthetic | ||
| 143Xe | 54 | 89 | 143 | Synthetic | ||
| 144Xe | 54 | 90 | 144 | Synthetic | ||
| 145Xe | 54 | 91 | 145 | Synthetic | ||
| 146Xe | 54 | 92 | 146 | Synthetic | ||
| 147Xe | 54 | 93 | 147 | Synthetic |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) identifies hazard class of all dangerous elements/goods/commodities either by its class (or division) number or name. The DOT has divided these materials into nine different categories, known as Hazard Classes.
| DOT Numbers | 2591 |
| DOT Hazard Class | 2.2 |
NFPA 704 is a Standard System for the Identification of the Hazards of Materials for Emergency Response. NFPA is a standard maintained by the US based National Fire Protection Association.
The health (blue), flammability (red), and reactivity (yellow) rating all use a numbering scale ranging from 0 to 4. A value of zero means that the element poses no hazard; a rating of four indicates extreme danger.
| NFPA Fire Rating | N/A | N/A |
| NFPA Health Rating | N/A | N/A |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | N/A | N/A |
| NFPA Hazards | N/A |
| Autoignition Point | - |
| Flashpoint | - |
Database Search
List of unique identifiers to search the element in various chemical registry databases
| Database | Identifier number |
|---|---|
| CAS Number - Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) | CAS7440-63-3 |
| RTECS Number | RTECSZE1280000 |
| CID Number | CID23991 |
| Gmelin Number | Gmelin1125 |
| NSC Number | - |
Compare Xenon with other elements
Compare Xenon with Group 18, Period 5 and Noble Gas elements of the periodic table.
Compare Xenon with all Group 18 elements
Compare Xenon with all Period 5 elements
Compare Xenon with all Noble Gas elements
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about Xenon