ksenon

Ksenon is a chemical element with the symbol Xe and atomic number 54. It is a member of the noble gas group, meaning it is a colorless, odorless, and monatomic gas at standard temperature and pressure. Noble gases are known for their extreme inertness due to having a full valence electron shell. Xenon is the second heaviest noble gas, surpassed only by radon.

Xenon is present in the Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts, about 0.0000087 parts per million. It is produced industrially by the fractional distillation of liquid air. Its high atomic mass and unique properties have led to several applications. One of the most well-known is in high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps, often referred to as xenon headlights, used in automobiles for their bright, white light.

Other significant uses of xenon include its application in flash lamps for photography and in lasers. Xenon is also used in some types of ion propulsion systems for spacecraft due to its high atomic mass, which makes it an efficient propellant. In medicine, xenon is used as an anesthetic, offering a rapid induction and recovery period with few side effects. Its use in medical imaging, particularly for brain imaging, is also an area of research and application. Due to its rarity and the energy required for its production, xenon is relatively expensive.