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Argon |
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About Argon
Argon (Ar) is a monatomic, colorless,
odorless, tasteless and nontoxic gas,
present in the atmosphere at a
concentration of just under 1% (0.934%)
by volume. Argon is a member of a
special group of gases known as the
“rare,” “noble,” or “inert” gases. Other
gases in this group are helium, neon,
krypton, xenon and radon. They are
monatomic gases with a totally filled
outermost shell of electrons. |
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Uses of Argon
- Argon is used as a blowing gas during
manufacture of higher quality steels to
avoid the formation of nitrides.
- Plasma-arc cutting and plasma-arc
welding employ plasma gas (argon and
hydrogen) to provide a very high
temperature when used with a special
torch.
- Argon is used in aluminum manufacture
to aid degasification and to remove
dissolved hydrogen and particulates from
molten aluminum.
- Argon is used in winemaking to
displace oxygen in barrels and thus
prevent the formation of vinegar.
Similarly, it is used in restaurant, bar
and home wine dispensing units to allow
storage of opened bottles without
degradation of the contents.
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