Final answer:
Noble gases and inert gases refer to Group 18 elements like helium and neon, known for their stability and lack of reactivity, although they can form compounds under extreme conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Indeed, noble gases and inert gases are terms often used interchangeably to refer to the elements in Group 18 of the periodic table, which include helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), and radon (Rn). These gases are monatomic and are well known for their lack of reactivity at room temperature and pressure, due to their filled outer valence electron shells that result in high ionization energies and low electron affinity. The term “noble gases” is now more commonly used since these elements can form compounds under high pressure and temperature, thus they are not completely inert.