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

Entry: The History Around the Noble Gases - A1000792
Author: Hell (I am back! party here: A2247284 ) - U171578

I wrote this a long time ago, and in the meantime I think it's ready for PR

HELL

PS: The other Entry 'Noble Gases' to which this Entry links to is also up for PR. They can be made interlinkable during the Editing process.

Okay...just one comment. Bartlett's discovery of XePtF6 wasn't entirely serendipitous. I PtF6 attaccked glass (I think) and created O2PtF6, where it actually oxidised an oxygen molecule. Bartlett noticed it had the same ionisation energy as xenon, so he tried Xe instead and of course the rest is history.
Radon is a metalloid, btw.

OK it was not pure accident, but it was surprising nevertheless. See, I didn't go into much chemical detail, do you think it's worth a footnote?

Also: Radon is a metalloid? A gaseous metalloid? This is either very strange, or you mean in its solid state (there is also metallic hydrogen, nevertheless you don't call hydrogen a metal), or you have confused something.

Anyhow, thanks.

HELL

I think it's worth a footnote.

Regarding radon being a metalloid, some very cutting-edge chemistry was published in JCS Chemical Communcations years ago (I can't remember when). It certainly seemed to have metalloidal behaviour, I'll try and find it before this article goes to press.

Strange, but OK, why not... You don't need to be reactive to be a metal (or metalloid for that matter). When I think about metal-metaloids in terms of the 'conducting' and 'non-conducting' bands, however, it's difficult to imagine that working with a *gas*. Obviously, the paper you mention must be dealing with solid Radon then, right?

I will be waiting for the reference, if you can get it... In any case, I think I should then mention that the gases are gases at room temp or under normal conditions. Whaddaya say?

Later,

HELL

I've read this in detail, and comment:-

You do not mention that noble gases are also commonly known as inert gases. The title does not look right with the word 'around'. Would the history of the discovery of noble gases be nearer the mark?

Typo's/spelling/grammar:-
'realtively' -> 'relatively'
'recipient contining' -> 'receptacle containing' (recipient suggests a person)
'greek' -> 'Greek'
'existance' -> 'existence'
'weren't it' -> 'were it not'

It is rather rude to describe Cavendish as a panjandrum - he was no petty-fogging bureacrat. (A panjandrum is an imaginary figure, of great self-importance.) Why not tell us about the oxygen remover, as you have mentioned everything else (and later even spell out the reaction with copper).

It is rather unremarkable that a reaction with an acid produces a gas - almost any carbonate in almost any acid does that - but did Hillebrand realise the gas was special, or even new?

Is 0C and 1.013 bar the condition know as standard temperature and pressure (STP), and if so, why not say so?

In the phrase 'characterised by - guess who - Ramsay', the '- guess who -' is a waste of the reader's time, since you give the answer in the very next word.

Do the Curies (great as they were) have a sufficient part in the discovery of radon to mention their nobel prizes and eventual ends?

I have the overall impression of a somewhat derisory regard for some of the figures in this entry, with phrases such as 'panjandrum', 'guess who', and 'messing around with' (of Barlett's experiments), which seems rather out of place. Cavendish, far from being a mad scientist, could be thought of as highly principled for doing his pain experiments on himself.

Hello OH...

1. "You do not mention that noble gases are also commonly known as inert gases."

Okay.

2. "The title does not look right with the word 'around'. Would the history of the discovery of noble gases be nearer the mark?"

Well. I have a problem with the word "discovered". They were there all the time, in the same sense that America was not "discovered". Even so, I think the title you suggest is nearer the mark. And then again, there are many side aspects that are not dealing with the discovery itself (think of Bartlett), but are related to that. What about: "Noble Gases - History"?

3. "Typo's/spelling/grammar:-"

OK

4. "It is rather rude to describe Cavendish as a panjandrum - he was no petty-fogging bureacrat. (A panjandrum is an imaginary figure, of great self-importance.)"

Well, OK, so maybe panjandrum is not the right word. I picked it up somewhere and thought it's OK to use it in this context. I changed it to 'big-one'.

5. "Why not tell us about the oxygen remover, as you have mentioned everything else (and later even spell out the reaction with copper)."

I did not find exactly what remover that was.

6. "It is rather unremarkable that a reaction with an acid produces a gas - almost any carbonate in almost any acid does that - but did Hillebrand realise the gas was special, or even new?"

Hillebrand did not write down anything specific about this gas, but, since he was a mineralogist, I guess he made the standard tests for carbon dioxide or hydrogen. He probably thought it's something else and moved on with his life. Similar experiments were carried out later and the gas was identified as being Helium. So, Hillebrand, without noticing it, had isolated Helium.

7. "Is 0C and 1.013 bar the condition know as standard temperature and pressure (STP), and if so, why not say so?"

Yes. I don't say so because a) the figures are clearer that way and b) a lot of people confuse STP with 20°C, 1 atm

8. "In the phrase 'characterised by - guess who - Ramsay', the '- guess who -' is a waste of the reader's time, since you give the answer in the very next word."

Yes, I changed it to 'you guessed it'.

9. "Do the Curies (great as they were) have a sufficient part in the discovery of radon to mention their nobel prizes and eventual ends?"

Enough to mention the prizes, but not enough to mention their ends. I reduced the Curie part to one sentence.

10. "I have the overall impression of a somewhat derisory regard for some of the figures in this entry, with phrases such as 'panjandrum'"

Panjandrum, OK, you're right. It's probably a bit heavy.

11. "'guess who'"

I've explained, was more meant like - it's obvious Ramsay looked at that one, as it was also him who looked at all the others.

12. "'messing around with' (of Barlett's experiments), which seems rather out of place."

There's nothing wrong with 'messing around with' that's the kind of words a chemist would use after one or two glasses of beer.

13. "Cavendish, far from being a mad scientist, could be thought of as highly principled for doing his pain experiments on himself."

Cavendish WAS strange.

Well. Thanks for your criticism, OH. Most of it has been changed accordingly. I am sorry that you got the impression I think whole story is laughable. Maybe I was 'trying too hard to be funny' one of the most common no-no's of the EG. Maybe, too, it is because I am trying to improve my English, you know, I learn some words like 'panjandrum' and try to use them. OK, one learns... And thank you for that. Maybe, you might have gotten this impression because I am not writing it in the commonly found science-heroic-epos style.

In any case. It is not laughable, but it's not dead serious either.

HELL

I liked it.

And from what I've read of Cavendish, I'd agree that he was a bit of a nutter! A brilliant one for sure, but still...

Anyway, looks good lurking down here in the bowels of PR. Back to the top!


- Jimi X

Two Jims in the space of 15 mins! Ain't you the lucky one?!

I'm just checking that this is ready, as it's looking good. Still not sure about the title, but perhaps that can all be fixed with the addition of a humble 'a'.

The Noble Gases - A History

See?

Anyway, a Scout is eager to recommend this, so let me know if you're ready.

I changed the title to "History of Chemistry - Noble Gases" to go along with "History of Chemistry - Acids and Bases"... Just a suggestion.

HELL

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If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

Blimey, that was quick!

Congratulations!

Thanks, Jimi X

Thanks, everybody...

hic

HELL

Congratulations.