Editing Inert gas (section)

{{Short description|Gas which does not chemically react under the specified conditions}}
{{For|the group of chemical elements|Noble gas}}
[[File:Inert gas pipe on an oil tanker.jpg|thumb|Inert gas pipe on an oil tanker]]
An '''inert gas''' is a [[gas]] that does not readily undergo [[chemical reaction]]s with other [[chemical substance]]s and therefore does not readily form [[chemical compound]]s. Though inert gases have a variety of applications, they are generally used to prevent unwanted chemical reactions with the oxygen ([[oxidation]]) and moisture ([[hydrolysis]]) in the air from degrading a sample. Generally, all [[noble gas]]es except [[oganesson]] ([[helium]], [[neon]], [[argon]], [[krypton]], [[xenon]], and [[radon]]), [[nitrogen]], and [[carbon dioxide]] are considered inert gases. The term ''inert gas'' is context-dependent because several of the inert gases, including nitrogen and carbon dioxide, can be made to react under certain conditions.<ref>{{GoldBookRef|file=I03027|title=inert gas}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Carbon Dioxide 101 {{!}} netl.doe.gov|url=https://netl.doe.gov/carbon-management/carbon-storage/faqs/carbon-dioxide-101|access-date=September 9, 2024|website=netl.doe.gov}}</ref>

Purified argon gas is the most commonly used inert gas due to its high natural abundance (78.3% N<sub>2</sub>, 1% Ar in air)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Argon - Element information, properties and uses {{!}} Periodic Table|url=https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/18/argon|access-date=April 7, 2024|website=www.rsc.org}}</ref> and low relative cost.

Unlike [[noble gas]]es, an inert gas is not necessarily elemental and is often a [[Chemical compound|compound]] gas. Like the noble gases, the tendency for non-reactivity is due to the [[valence electron|valence]], the outermost [[electron shell]], being complete in all the inert gases.<ref>Singh, Jasvinder. ''The Sterling Dictionary of Physics.'' New Delhi, India: Sterling, 2007. 122.</ref> This is a tendency, not a rule, as all noble gases and other "inert" gases can react to form compounds under ''some'' conditions.