Xenon (Xe)
noble-gasGas
Standard Atomic Weight
131.293 uElectron configuration
[Kr] 5s2 4d10 5p6Melting point
-111.79 °C (161.36 K)Boiling point
-108.1 °C (165.05 K)Density
5.887 kg/m³Oxidation states
0, +2, +4, +6, +8Electronegativity (Pauling)
2.6Ionization energy (1st)
Discovery year
1898Atomic radius
N/ADetails
Xenon is a heavy noble gas with a closed-shell electron configuration and very low chemical reactivity under ordinary conditions. It occurs in the atmosphere only as a trace constituent and is obtained from air-separation processes. Its high atomic mass, ease of ionization, and strong ultraviolet emission make it technologically useful, while its ability to form stable compounds with highly electronegative elements distinguishes it from the lighter noble gases.
Xenon is used in super bright lamps used for deep sea observation.
The name derives from the Greek xenos for "the stranger". It was discovered by the Scottish chemist William Ramsay and the English chemist Morris William Travers in 1898 in a liquefied air sample.
Xenon was discovered by Sir William Ramsay, a Scottish chemist, and Morris M. Travers, an English chemist, on July 12, 1898, shortly after their discovery of the elements krypton and neon. Like krypton and neon, xenon was discovered through the study of liquefied air. The earth's atmosphere is about 0.0000087% xenon.
From the Greek word xenon, stranger. Discovered in 1898 by Ramsay and Travers in residue left after evaporating liquid air. Xenon is a member of the so-called noble or "inert" gases. It is present in the atmosphere to the extent of about one part in twenty million. Xenon is present in the Martian atmosphere to the extent of 0.08 ppm. the element is found in the gases evolved from certain mineral springs, and is commercially obtained by extraction from liquid air.
Images
Properties
Physical
Chemical
Thermodynamic
Nuclear
Abundance
Reactivity
N/A
Crystal Structure
Electronic Structure
Identifiers
Electron Configuration Measured
Xe: 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁶[Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁶1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁶Atomic model
Isotopes change neutron count, mass, and stability — not the electron configuration of a neutral atom.
Schematic atomic model, not to scale.
Atomic Fingerprint
Emission / Absorption Spectrum
Isotope Distribution
| Mass number | Atomic mass (u) | Natural abundance | Half-life |
|---|---|---|---|
| 126 Stable | 125.9042983 ± 0.0000038 | 0.0890% | Stable |
| 128 Stable | 127.903531 ± 0.0000011 | 1.9102% | Stable |
| 129 Stable | 128.9047808611 ± 0.000000006 | 26.4006% | Stable |
| 130 Stable | 129.903509349 ± 0.00000001 | 4.0710% | Stable |
| 131 Stable | 130.90508406 ± 0.00000024 | 21.2324% | Stable |
| 132 Stable | 131.9041550856 ± 0.0000000056 | 26.9086% | Stable |
Phase / State
Reason: 133.1 °C above boiling point (-108.1 °C)
Schematic, not to scale
Phase transition points
Transition energies
Energy required to melt 1 mol at melting point
Energy required to vaporize 1 mol at boiling point
Density
At standard conditions
Estimated via ideal gas law at current T
Advanced
Atomic Spectra
Showing 10 of 54 Atomic Spectra. Sorted by ion charge (ascending).
Lines Holdings ?
| Ion | Charge | Total lines | Transition probabilities | Level designations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xe I | 0 | 1143 | 187 | 1143 |
| Xe II | +1 | 1115 | 22 | 1115 |
| Xe III | +2 | 1512 | 0 | 1512 |
| Xe IV | +3 | 769 | 0 | 769 |
| Xe V | +4 | 273 | 0 | 273 |
| Xe VI | +5 | 126 | 0 | 126 |
| Xe VII | +6 | 131 | 0 | 131 |
| Xe VIII | +7 | 135 | 0 | 135 |
| Xe IX | +8 | 144 | 0 | 144 |
| Xe X | +9 | 83 | 0 | 83 |
Levels Holdings ?
| Ion | Charge | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Xe I | 0 | 445 |
| Xe II | +1 | 164 |
| Xe III | +2 | 158 |
| Xe IV | +3 | 95 |
| Xe V | +4 | 55 |
| Xe VI | +5 | 73 |
| Xe VII | +6 | 73 |
| Xe VIII | +7 | 83 |
| Xe IX | +8 | 61 |
| Xe X | +9 | 63 |
Ionic Radii
| Charge | Coordination | Spin | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|
| +8 | 4 | N/A | 40 pm |
| +8 | 6 | N/A | 48 pm |
Compounds
Isotopes (6)
Natural xenon is composed of nine stable isotopes. In addition to these, 20 unstable isotopes have been characterized. Before 1962, it had generally been assumed that xenon and other noble gases were unable to form compounds. Evidence has been mounting in the past few years that xenon, as well as other members of zero valance elements, do form compounds. Among the "compounds" of xenon now reported are sodium perxenate, xenon deuterate, xenon hydrate, difluoride, tetrafluoride, and hexafluoride. Xenon trioxide, which is highly explosive, has been prepared. More than 80 xenon compounds have been made with xenon chemically bonded to fluorine and oxygen. Some xenon compounds are colored. Metallic xenon has been produced, using several hundred kilobars of pressure. Xenon in a vacuum tube produces a beautiful blue glow when excited by an electrical discharge.
| Mass number | Atomic mass (u) | Natural abundance | Half-life | Decay mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 126 Stable | 125.9042983 ± 0.0000038 | 0.0890% ± 0.0002% | Stable | stable | |
| 128 Stable | 127.903531 ± 0.0000011 | 1.9102% ± 0.0008% | Stable | stable | |
| 129 Stable | 128.9047808611 ± 0.000000006 | 26.4006% ± 0.0082% | Stable | stable | |
| 130 Stable | 129.903509349 ± 0.00000001 | 4.0710% ± 0.0013% | Stable | stable | |
| 131 Stable | 130.90508406 ± 0.00000024 | 21.2324% ± 0.0030% | Stable | stable | |
| 132 Stable | 131.9041550856 ± 0.0000000056 | 26.9086% ± 0.0033% | Stable | stable |
Extended Properties
Covalent Radii (Extended)
Van der Waals Radii
Atomic & Metallic Radii
Numbering Scales
Electronegativity Scales
Polarizability & Dispersion
Chemical Affinity
Noble Gas Properties
| O₂ | forms oxides indirectly (XeO3, XeO4) |
| HALOGENS | XeF2, XeF4, XeF6 |
| OXIDES_TYPE | acidic |
Phase Transitions & Allotropes
| Melting point | 161.4 K |
| Boiling point | 165.05 K |
| Critical point (temperature) | 289.73 K |
| Critical point (pressure) | 5.84 MPa |
| Triple point (temperature) | 161.4 K |
| Triple point (pressure) | 81.77 kPa |
Oxidation State Categories
Advanced Reference Data
Screening Constants (11)
| n | Orbital | σ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | s | 1.0785 |
| 2 | p | 4.1654 |
| 2 | s | 14.197 |
| 3 | d | 14.0532 |
| 3 | p | 18.3324 |
| 3 | s | 18.4236 |
| 4 | d | 32.1068 |
| 4 | p | 29.0428 |
| 4 | s | 27.8272 |
| 5 | p | 41.5755 |
Crystal Radii Detail (2)
| Charge | CN | Spin | rcrystal (pm) | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | IV | 54 | ||
| 8 | VI | 62 |
Isotope Decay Modes (68)
| Isotope | Mode | Intensity |
|---|---|---|
| 108 | A | 100% |
| 109 | A | 100% |
| 109 | B+ | — |
| 109 | B+p | — |
| 110 | A | 64% |
| 110 | B+ | 36% |
| 110 | B+p | — |
| 111 | B+ | 89.6% |
| 111 | A | 10.4% |
| 111 | B+p | — |
X‑ray Scattering Factors (509)
| Energy (eV) | f₁ | f₂ |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | — | 0 |
| 10.1617 | — | 0 |
| 10.3261 | — | 0 |
| 10.4931 | — | 0 |
| 10.6628 | — | 0 |
| 10.8353 | — | 0 |
| 11.0106 | — | 0 |
| 11.1886 | — | 0 |
| 11.3696 | — | 0 |
| 11.5535 | — | 0 |
Additional Data
Estimated Crustal Abundance
The estimated element abundance in the earth's crust.
3×10-5 milligrams per kilogram
References (1)
Estimated Oceanic Abundance
The estimated element abundance in the earth's oceans.
5×10-5 milligrams per liter
References (1)
Isotopes in Forensic Science and Anthropology
Information on the use of this element's isotopes in forensic science and anthropology.
Radiogenic xenon isotopes are produced by nuclear reactions in atomic bombs and nuclear reactors. For example, 131Xe, 133Xe, and 135Xe are some of the fission products of 235U and 239Pu, and finding these isotopes would be evidence of a nuclear bomb reaction. Measurements of xenon isotopes (e.g. in the atmosphere or the subsurface) have been used to identify contamination from these sources, for example, to detect faults in nuclear reactors or to monitor compliance with nuclear test bans (Fig. IUPAC.54.1) [396] [396] P. R. J. Saey, C. Schlosser, P. Achim, M. Auer, A. Axelsson, A. Becker, X. Blanchard, G. Brachet, L. Cella, L.-E. De Geer, M. B. Kalinowski, G. Le Petit, J. Peterson, V. Popov, Y. Popov, A. Ringbom, H. Sartorius, T. Taffary, M. Zähringer. Pure Appl. Geophy.167, 499 (2010).[396] P. R. J. Saey, C. Schlosser, P. Achim, M. Auer, A. Axelsson, A. Becker, X. Blanchard, G. Brachet, L. Cella, L.-E. De Geer, M. B. Kalinowski, G. Le Petit, J. Peterson, V. Popov, Y. Popov, A. Ringbom, H. Sartorius, T. Taffary, M. Zähringer. Pure Appl. Geophy.167, 499 (2010)..
References (2)
- [396] P. R. J. Saey, C. Schlosser, P. Achim, M. Auer, A. Axelsson, A. Becker, X. Blanchard, G. Brachet, L. Cella, L.-E. De Geer, M. B. Kalinowski, G. Le Petit, J. Peterson, V. Popov, Y. Popov, A. Ringbom, H. Sartorius, T. Taffary, M. Zähringer. Pure Appl. Geophy.167, 499 (2010).
- [4] IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes (IPTEI) https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0703
References
(9)
Data deposited in or computed by PubChem
The half-life and atomic mass data was provided by the Atomic Mass Data Center at the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Element data are cited from the Atomic weights of the elements (an IUPAC Technical Report). The IUPAC periodic table of elements can be found at https://iupac.org/what-we-do/periodic-table-of-elements/. Additional information can be found within IUPAC publication doi:10.1515/pac-2015-0703 Copyright © 2020 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
The information are cited from Pure Appl. Chem. 2018; 90(12): 1833-2092, https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0703.
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The periodic table at the LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory) contains basic element information together with the history, source, properties, use, handling and more. The provenance data may be found from the link under the source name.
The periodic table contains NIST's critically-evaluated data on atomic properties of the elements. The provenance data that include data for atomic spectroscopy, X-ray and gamma ray, radiation dosimetry, nuclear physics, and condensed matter physics may be found from the link under the source name. Ref: https://www.nist.gov/pml/atomic-spectra-database
This section provides all form of data related to element Xenon.
The element property data was retrieved from publications.