Who Discovered Krypton
Krypton is a colorless, tasteless and odorless gas with the chemical symbol Kr. But who discovered krypton? This post will answer that very question and also tell you a few interesting facts about krypton.
Who Discovered Krypton?
There are trace amounts of krypton gas in the atmosphere. In 1898, Sir William Ramsay (a Scottish chemist) and Morris Travers (an English chemist) managed to evaporate nearly all the components of liquid air. When they analyzed the different components they discovered a completely new element- krypton. They discovered neon using this same process a few weeks later (see our post- who discovered neon).
Interesting Facts About Krypton
- Krypton is combined with neon to make energy saving globes.
- There are 31 different isotopes of krypton, 5 of which are stable (the other 26 are radioactive).
- Krypton is considered an ‘inert’ gas. This means that it is very unreactive.
- Krypton is produced by the radioactive decay of thorium and uranium. The concentration of krypton at the North Pole is 30% higher than the South Pole as most nuclear reactors are located in the Northern Hemisphere.
- William Ramsay was awarded the 1904 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of several noble gases- including krypton.
Other Great Discoveries:
Who Discovered the Greenhouse Effect
Like my posts? Follow me on Twitter!