Xenon Facts for Kids

The Periodic Table - Xenon
  • Name: Xenon
  • Symbol: Xe
  • Atomic Number: 54
  • Atomic Weight: 131.293 u
  • Period: 5
  • Group: 18 (noble gases)

24 Xenon Facts for Kids

  1. Xenon is a chemical element on the periodic table.
  2. Xenon is a dense noble gas that is odorless and colorless. However, it does exhibit a bright blue glow when placed inside an electric field.
  3. Xenon was discovered and first isolated in 1898 by Scottish chemist William Ramsay and English chemist Morris Travers.
  4. In 1904, William Ramsay won the Nobel Peace Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of xenon and other noble gases.
  5. The symbol for xenon is Xe.
  6. The atomic number for xenon is 54.
  7. The standard atomic weight of xenon is 131.293 u.
  8. Xenon is a gas at room temperature.
  9. Xenon is in the noble gas element category on the periodic table.
  10. Xenon is a period 5 chemical element, which is the fifth row on the periodic table.
  11. Xenon is a group 18 chemical element, which is the noble gases group.
  12. Xenon is in the p-block on the periodic table.
  13. The electron configuration for xenon is [Kr] 4d10 5s2 5p6.
  14. The electrons per shell for xenon is 2, 8, 18, 18, 8.
  15. Xenon has seven stable isotopes.
  16. The seven stable isotopes of xenon are 126Xe, 128Xe, 129Xe, 130Xe, 131Xe, 132Xe and 134Xe.
  17. The melting point for xenon is -169.15 °F (-111.75 °C).
  18. The boiling point for xenon is -162.578 °F (-108.099 °C).
  19. In the Earth’s atmosphere, xenon is considered a trace gas.
  20. Xenon is found in the Earth’s atmosphere at about 1 part per 11.5 million.
  21. Xenon has been detected in gases emitted from some mineral springs.
  22. The rarity of xenon in the Earth’s atmosphere makes it expensive, but it still has several useful applications.
  23. The NASA spacecraft Deep Space 1 (DS) was powered by an ion thruster using xenon gas.
  24. The hypothetical weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) are searched for using xenon gas.

Additional Resources on Xenon

  • Xenon (Xe) – Discover more about the chemical element xenon on the Los Alamos National Laboratory website.
  • Xenon for Kids – Find more information about the chemical element xenon for kids on the Britannica Kids website.
  • Xenon and Your Health – Learn about the benefits and/or risks of xenon to your health on the National Institute of Health website.
  • Xenon – PubChem – Read more about xenon and the data behind it on the NIH PubChem website.

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