Argon (18)
- Argon constitutes 0.934% by volume and 1.288% by mass of the Earth’s atmosphere. It condenses at -186°C.
- Air is the primary raw material used by industry to produce purified argon products.
- The Earth’s crust and seawater contain 1.2 ppm and 0.45 ppm of argon, respectively.
- The Third most common gas in the Earth’s Atmosphere, at 0.93% (9,300 ppm); CO2 (390 ppm), Neon (18 ppm).
- Used in inert shielding gas in welding.
- Used in incandescent and fluorescent lighting.
- Argon has approximately the same solubility in water as oxygen, and 2.5 times more soluble in water than nitrogen. It is 38% denser than air.
- The bulk of argon application arise simply because it is inert and relatively cheap.