Noble Gas Essentials

What makes each noble gas distinct:

• Helium (He) — second most abundant element in the universe; used in balloons, deep-sea diving mixes, and cooling superconductors
• Neon (Ne) — produces the iconic red-orange glow in signs
• Argon (Ar) — makes up nearly 1% of Earth's atmosphere; used in welding to shield hot metals from oxygen
• Krypton (Kr) — used in high-performance insulated windows and once defined the standard meter
• Xenon (Xe) — the noble gas best known for forming stable compounds; powers ion thrusters on spacecraft