54Xe131.29
Xenon
Noble gasesColourless gases with full outer shells, so they hardly ever react.
[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁶
- Atomic number
- 54
- Atomic mass
- 131.29
- Protons
- 54
- Neutrons
- 77 (most common)
- Electrons
- 54
- Shells
- 2, 8, 18, 18, 8
- State at 25 °C
- Gas
- Position
- Group 18, period 5
Proton (+)Neutron (0)Electron (−)
Discovered byWilliam Ramsay and Morris Travers, 1898William Ramsay: 5 elementsMorris Travers: 3 elements
The last of the noble gases they found in liquid air. Its name means “stranger” in Greek.
Did you know?
- In 1962, Neil Bartlett made the first noble gas compound using xenon.
- Ion thrusters push spacecraft by firing xenon ions.
Where it's found
- Tiny traces in the air
What it's used for
- Bright car headlights
- Ion engines on spacecraft
- Anaesthesia
Try it
There's no safe home experiment for Xenon. Explore it with the animated atom above instead.