h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Who was Pauling? Who was Linus? I was with you up to the final paragraph!

I liked the noble gases. I always felt they were well-mannered elements that behaved themselves, unlike those unruly ones on the other side of the periodic table who were always over-reacting.

Mol (not much of a scientist)

what exactly is the number of noble gases so far and do they never react or react differently or more slowly and nitrogen of two kinds are treated as one or as two separate gases depending upon their density ?

Hi, thanks for your comments, and sorry I have not been more careful with these details! So:

Linus Pauling, one of the greatest chemists ever.

The number of noble gases so far is 6;

... The seventh one might have been synthesized - but it's pending confirmation. All elements above nr. 100 or so, are synthetic, and not really stable, they exist only for fractions of seconds - for that reason they cannot be readily characterized, and it's not possible to infer whether the element is a gas, or if it is chemically stable and so forth. In fact, I would hesitate to call this particular heavier element a noble gas.

They react differently AND more slowly than nitrogen gas.

I don't understand the last question: "nitrogen of two kinds are treated as one or as two separate gases depending upon their density"

Okay... Later then.

HELL