Difference between revisions of "Argon"
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|abundance=1.6% ([[atmosphere]]) | |abundance=1.6% ([[atmosphere]]) | ||
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− | '''Argon''' is the third most abundant element in the martian [[atmosphere]], 1.6%.<ref>[http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/marsfact.html NASA ''Mars Fact Sheet'']</ref> It is an oderless, colorless [[nobel gas|noble gas]]. Like the other noble gasses, it is chemically inert. As such, it has many uses in industry. Argon is easily produced [[In-situ resource utilization|in-situ]] from the martian atmosphere by cooling to condense out carbon dioxide and [[distillation]] to separate out the nitrogen. For use as a buffer gas in a colony atmosphere, the nitrogen need not be separated. Mixed nitrogen and argon can be added to oxygen to dilute it to 20% mole fraction oxygen, the concentration of the standard Earth atmosphere. The substitution of nitrogen by argon for a breathable atmosphere seems straightforward. | + | '''Argon,''' ''[[Elements on Mars|periodic table Ar]]''''',''' is the third most abundant element in the martian [[atmosphere]], 1.6%.<ref>[http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/marsfact.html NASA ''Mars Fact Sheet'']</ref> It is an oderless, colorless [[nobel gas|noble gas]]. Like the other noble gasses, it is chemically inert. As such, it has many uses in industry. Argon is easily produced [[In-situ resource utilization|in-situ]] from the martian atmosphere by cooling to condense out carbon dioxide and [[distillation]] to separate out the nitrogen. For use as a buffer gas in a colony atmosphere, the nitrogen need not be separated. Mixed nitrogen and argon can be added to oxygen to dilute it to 20% mole fraction oxygen, the concentration of the standard Earth atmosphere. The substitution of nitrogen by argon for a breathable atmosphere seems straightforward. |
− | == Uses == | + | ==Uses== |
− | * As an atmospheric filler produced | + | *As an [[Air|atmospheric filler]] produced alongside nitrogen |
− | * As an inert gas in certain industrial processes | + | *As an inert gas in certain industrial processes |
− | * As propellant for electrical space propulsion | + | *As [[propellant]] for [[Ion thruster|electrical space propulsion]] |
==Reference== | ==Reference== |
Latest revision as of 11:34, 30 August 2021
Ar | 18 |
Argon |
Abundance: 1.6% (atmosphere)
Argon, periodic table Ar, is the third most abundant element in the martian atmosphere, 1.6%.[1] It is an oderless, colorless noble gas. Like the other noble gasses, it is chemically inert. As such, it has many uses in industry. Argon is easily produced in-situ from the martian atmosphere by cooling to condense out carbon dioxide and distillation to separate out the nitrogen. For use as a buffer gas in a colony atmosphere, the nitrogen need not be separated. Mixed nitrogen and argon can be added to oxygen to dilute it to 20% mole fraction oxygen, the concentration of the standard Earth atmosphere. The substitution of nitrogen by argon for a breathable atmosphere seems straightforward.
Uses
- As an atmospheric filler produced alongside nitrogen
- As an inert gas in certain industrial processes
- As propellant for electrical space propulsion
Reference
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