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What makes a gas noble? Does it apply to humans too?

… don’t mingle, stay single, do nothing, react not …

MARTINA NICOLLS

Jan 27

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What makes a gas noble? The term comes from an old idea in chemistry that compared some gases to nobility – i.e., elements that do not mingle or react with others.

Noble gases (helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon, and oganesson) have their electrons arranged in a specific way. Their very special feature is an outermost layer of electrons, called a shell, that is complete (full). Helium is complete with 2 electrons and the others are complete with 8 electrons.

In chemistry, a full outer shell is a state of maximum stability.

Atoms “want” to reach this condition because it requires the least energy. Because their outer shell is already full and complete, noble gases don’t need to gain electrons, don’t want to lose electrons, and rarely share electrons.

So, they almost never form chemical bonds. That makes them extremely unreactive (inert) and found mostly as single atoms, not as molecules.

Everyday examples include:

argon, the gas for protecting welding arcs and preserving documents;

helium, the gas for balloons (light and non-flammable);

neon, the gas for city signs; and

xenon, the gas for camera flashes and headlights.

In short, a gas is “noble” because its electron structure makes it stable, self-contained, and chemically aloof.

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