How do noble gases affect chemical reactions?

Noble gases generally do not affect chemical reactions because they are inert and do not readily form compounds.

Noble gases, which include helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon, are located in Group 18 of the periodic table. They are characterised by their full valence electron shells, which make them highly stable and unreactive. This stability is due to the fact that their outermost electron shell is full, meaning they do not need to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve stability. As a result, they do not readily form compounds and are often referred to as inert gases.

In terms of chemical reactions, this means that noble gases generally do not participate or interfere. They do not react with other elements to form new compounds, nor do they break apart existing compounds. This is why they are often used in situations where chemical reactions are undesirable. For example, argon is used in light bulbs to prevent the filament from oxidising and burning out. Similarly, helium is used in balloons instead of hydrogen because it does not react and cause explosions.

However, it's worth noting that under certain extreme conditions, some noble gases can be made to react. For instance, xenon and krypton can form compounds with highly electronegative elements like fluorine and oxygen under high pressure. These are exceptions rather than the rule and do not change the fact that noble gases are generally unreactive and do not affect chemical reactions under normal conditions.

In summary, the primary impact of noble gases on chemical reactions is their lack of participation. Their full valence electron shells make them stable and unreactive, meaning they do not readily form compounds or interfere with other chemical reactions.