The Periodic Table: Group 0

Characteristics of Group 0 Elements

Group 0 elements, also known as the noble gases, are located on the far right of the periodic table.
They include helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), and radon (Rn).
Group 0 elements are all gases at room temperature.
All noble gases are colourless, odourless, and tasteless.

Electronic Configuration

The outer shell of group 0 elements is full. This means they have a stable electron configuration.
Because of their full outer shell, noble gases are inert or non-reactive. They do not readily react with other elements to form compounds.

Trends in Group 0

Moving down the group, the atomic radius increases. This is due to additional electron shells being added.
The boiling points and melting points of the noble gases also increase with atomic number. This is due to an increase in the size of the atoms and a corresponding increase in the strength of the van der Waals forces.
Despite these increasing trends, all group 0 elements have very low boiling and melting points due to the weak forces of attraction between the atoms.

Uses of Group 0 Elements

Helium is used in balloons and airships because it is lighter than air. It is also used in cooling superconducting magnets due its very low boiling point.
Neon is used in advertising signs because it glows brightly when electricity is passed through it.
Argon is used in filament bulbs to prevent the filament from burning out. It is also used as a protective shield in welding.
Krypton and xenon are used in specialised lighting and in the construction of lasers.

Noble Gas Compounds

Although noble gases are unreactive due to their full outer shell, under certain conditions some of them (including krypton and xenon) can form compounds, known as noble gas compounds. However, these compounds are quite rare.