argon

Everyday

1. Argon is a gas with no colour, no smell and no taste that is found in small amounts in the air. tree →
2. Argon is a chemical element; it is a noble gas, which means it hardly ever reacts with other substances. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons argon is one of the gases in air (about 1 part in 100, after nitrogen and oxygen). It is used inside some light bulbs and in welding because it does not burn or react. On the periodic table its symbol is Ar.

Examples

• Air is mostly nitrogen and oxygen, with a little argon. tree →
• Argon is used inside some light bulbs. tree →
• Argon has no colour and no smell. tree →
• Welders use argon to protect hot metal from the air. tree →
• Argon is a noble gas, like neon and helium. tree →
• The symbol for argon is Ar. tree →

Note

Uncountable: «some argon», not «an argon». The symbol is Ar (not A). Argon is not poisonous, but a room full of it has no oxygen, so you could not breathe there. It does not glow orange like neon; the colours of «neon» signs come from different gases.