Nogra

Nogra
An Internet Hotlist on Argon

created by Laryssa Witty

Introduction

Image from http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/gas/argon.jpg

Welcome to Nogra!!!

On this site you will find lists of sites about the element Argon. The above image is of Argon gas used for welding. The sites are organized into the following categories:

Straight Up (basic facts)
Health
History
Atmosphere
Snap, Crackle, and POP! (chemical reactions, and uses)
Dating Drama(Argon dating)

Each site is rated as follows:

Fluorescent Bulb-Web site gives in depth information about what their main focus area is. It is a reliable source.

Bright Light-Web site gives decent information. Reliable

Twinkle Lights-This site gives adequate information. A fairly reliable site. It may be slightly unorganized.

Dimmer-Web site shows some information, or may display so much depth that it is overwhelming and confusing to understand. Not a very reliable source.

Yep, it’s a dud-Web site demonstrates the minimum for amount of information. Very basic and simplistic. Several gimmicks or adds on this site. Not a reliable source

Here are some facts about Argon:

Atomic Number 18

Atomic Mass 39.948

Symbol Ar
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Colorless

Odorless

Gas
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Argon is two and a half times more soluble in water than Nitrogen
TOXICITY

Not Toxic
USES

Fluorescent light bulbs

gas shield in welding or cutting

Lasers
HISTORY

Discovered by Sir William Ramsay and Lord Rayleigh in 1894
PRODUCTION

Argon is a co-product of Oxygen and Nitrogen. It is manufactured by air separation technology. The air is compressed, cooled, and then distilled. A stream is drawn and contains Oxygen and Argon. A refining process produces Argon.
FACTS

Argon is heavier than air, yet less active than Nitrogen

The name derives from the Greek word 'argos' meaning inactive

The Internet Resources

Straight Up

ChemGlobe - This site gives elementary information on Argon. It includes a table with the isotopes and a description. Argon is the third most plentiful element in the atmosphere. It is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless noble gas. The name derives from Greek, arogs, meaning inactive. Rating: Bright Light
ChemiCool - This site has organized tables with various categories about the element. Such categories include: general, states, reactions, energies, and appearance and characteristics. Argon is used in lasers and light bulbs. It is colorless and does not react with air. Argon has three isotopes. Rating: Flourescent Bulb
Jefferson Lab - This site lists the basic information about Argon such as the atomic number, atomic weight, melting and boiling points, and the period number. It also provides a brief history of who discovered the element. According to the site Sir William Ramsay a Scottish chemist and English chemist Lord Rayleigh discovered the element in 1894. Argon is also used in fluorescent light bulbs. Rating: Bright Light
Periodic Table of Elements - This site gives the basic information of the element. It also gives the element’s name in other languages. Argo is Argon in Italian and Argonio in Portuguese. There is a model of the shell of the element. It is describes as an odorless, tasteless, noble gas. The element was discovered in Bristol London. Rating: Twinkle Light

Health

Information Specific to Liquid Argon - This site gives the physical properties of Argon. It also provides the general information, health effects, how to properly contain it, and adequate storage. It gives a diagram of the proper container that Argon should be stored into. This diagram describes the various valves and gauges. Argon should be stored with ventilation and is best if not confined. The metal of the container may be cold and could fuse with skin, in order to separate from the metal tearing is involved. Rating: Bright Light
Lenntech - This site provides the basic facts about Argon. It then goes on to include the health and environmental effects of Argon. Some health effects include dizziness, dullness, headache, suffocation, and frostbite when in contact with liquid. There is not any known damage related to Argon and the environment. It is not known to effect plants and animals. Rating: Bright Light
Stimulation of Cell Division by Argon - This site explains in depth the experiment of adding Argon to a laser that was then injected into the eyes of six monkeys. The result was that there were more labeled cells in the eye with the laser than without. It was undergone to try to understand the treatment for glaucoma disease. Three animals were given the laser with Argon and three others were given a Nd:YAG laser. The site includes several photos two of which are black and white photos of a cross section laser burn; one with the argon, one without. Rating: Dimmer

History

Argon - This site gives some general information about Argon such as the boiling and metling points, atomic weight, molecular weight, and flammable info. It has a table on the National Stock Number applicable to Argon and then goes on to discuss the element in further detail. Argon is the most frequently used noble gas. It also gives an interesting account on the history of the element. Apparently it was discovered by preparing nitrogen and then removing oxygen which left a heavier remaining gas which was called Argon. Argon was given its name because its chemical inertness. Rating: Twinkle Light

Atmosphere

Argon Conclusion - This site has an article of research performed by the geochemists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The experiment was to challenge the idea of how gases are expelled from the Earth and into the atmosphere. They discovered that the Argon in the Earth’s mantel moves much slower than previously believed. They move so slow that even volcanic activity could not disrupt them. It is easier for scientists to study elements such as Argon when looking for how the Earth developed because they remain the same over time. Rating: Twinkle Light

Snap, Crackle, and POP!

Advanced Buildings - This site explains how Argon and Krypton are used to reduce heat transmission through windows. The gas that fills two panes of glass of window can reduce heat transfer. Argon is most commonly used because it works well and is also the cheapest. Krypton is the best gas to reduce heat transmission with, but it costs about two hundred times as much as Argon. The cost is about three to five dollars per meter square of window. Rating: Dimmer
Praxair - This site discusses various uses of Argon. However, it’s main focus is on the production of Argon. Argon is a co product of Oxygen and Nitrogen. It is produced through air separation technology. The site can ship various gases to different sites in a variety of ways. Some examples are: railroad tanks, pipelines, cylinders, and in portable insulated containers. Rating: Bright Light
WebElements - This site gives several chemical reactions that Argon has. Argon does not react with water, acids, bases, halogens, or even air. It does dissolve in water. There is a colomn to the left on the site that gives information regarding uses, biology, geology, argon compounds, pictures, history, and descriptions. There are also graphs. The atomosphere of Mars contains less than 2% Argon. Rating: Flourescent Bulb

Dating Drama

Clocks in the Rocks - This site gives several different methods in which to measure rocks. It gives colorful models, graphs, and tables. Some of the various methods of dating are: moon rock dating, Rubidium Strontium dating, Potassium Argon dating, and Uranium Lead dating. The advantage of using Potassium Argon dating is that Argon does not react with anything, so any accumulation of the element inside a mineral is most likely the result of Potassium decay. Argon will escape the rock if the substance is melted, so dating relates to the last molten period of the rock. Rating: Twinkle Light
Potassium Argon Dating - This site describes the process of Argon dating. It explains why bones cannot be measured using this process. There is a small diagram describing how the rock will cool and melt. Argon dating measures the accumulation of Argon in a mineral. The decay of Potassium helps to measure the accumulation of Argon. Rating: Twinkle Light
Public Affairs - This site discusses the new method of dating ancient artifacts-argon argon dating. Argon argon dating is said to be the most reliable way to date artifacts. Prior to this new development the way to date artifacts was by carbon dating. A piece of volcanic rock from Pompeii had been dated using other methods and was off by ninety four years. Argon argon dating was off by only seven. This new way to date is used only on rock and measures the amount of potassium and argon in the rock. Rating: Twinkle Light

Content by Laryssa Witty
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listargonla.html
Last revised Mon Dec 17 9:56:15 US/Pacific 2007