Question

which of the following noble gases is not reactive? group of answer choices xenon only xenon and argon none of the above are reactive xenon, krypton, and argon helium and neong

Answer 1

All noble gases, including helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon, are generally considered non-reactive under normal conditions due to their filled valence shells. However, it has been demonstrated that they can indeed react under certain conditions, but their reactivity is significantly less than other elements.

Step-by-step explanation:

The elements in group 18 of the periodic table are called the noble gases. These include helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), and radon (Rn). Originally, these gases were considered to be completely unreactive, earning the name 'noble', as they were thought to not react with other elements. This idea is attributed to their filled valence shells, which makes them stable and thus non-reactive under normal conditions.

However, in 1962, Dr. Neil Bartlett demonstrated that noble gases can indeed form compounds, contradicting the previous assumption of them being non-reactive. Nonetheless, it is important to note that the reactivity of noble gases is significantly lower than other elements, especially under standard temperature and pressure conditions.

So when asked which among xenon, argon, krypton, helium, and neon is not reactive, the answer is: none of the above are reactive. This is because, in general terms and under normal conditions, all noble gases exhibit minimal reactivity.

Learn more about Noble gases