argon
pronunciation
How to pronounce argon in British English:
UK [ˈɑ:gɒn]
How to pronounce argon in American English:
US [ˈɑrgɑn]
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- Noun:
- a colorless and odorless inert gas; one of the six inert gases; comprises approximately 1% of the earth's atmosphere
Word Origin
- argon (n.)
- chemical element, 1894, Modern Latin, from Greek argon, neuter of argos "lazy, idle, not working the ground, living without labor," from a- "without" (see a- (3)) + ergon "work" (see organ). So called by its discoverers, Baron Rayleigh and Sir William Ramsay, for its inert qualities.
Example
- 1. A conventional volcanic rock contains no argon right after it solidifies .
- 2. Argon likes to escape out of rocks when they are very hot , in particular when they are melted into volcanic lava , but is otherwise trapped .
- 3. The physics underlying this procedure is that potassium , which is plentiful in nearly all rocks , is slightly radioactive and decays to argon , a chemically inert element .
- 4. Lead oxide in seal frit used for making window assemblies for argon and krypton laser tubes .
- 5. Since argon is nonflammable , special firefighting equipment and instructions are not needed .