Uses of Argon...

• Argon fills incandescent light bulbs. This gas replaces the oxygen-rich air that corrodes the Tungsten filament and causes blackening of the bulb.

• Argon provides the atmosphere for growing crystals to be used in the semiconductor industry, such as Silicon and Germanium.

• Argon is used in dating rocks with a process called Potassium-Argon dating. By comparing the amount of K-40 to Ar-40, the age of rocks can be found. The larger the ratio of Argon to Potassium, the older the samples.

• Argon is also used in radio tubes and Geiger counters (the probe that senses radiation is made of Argon), as well as an inert atmosphere for arc-welding metals like aluminum and stainless steel.

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