argon

noun

ar·gon | \ ˈär-ˌgän

Definition of argon

: a colorless odorless inert gaseous element found in the air and in volcanic gases and used especially in welding, lasers, and electric bulbs — see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of argon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The argon would have to be chilled to –186°C and contaminants reduced to levels of parts in a trillion. — Adrian Cho, Science | AAAS, "Resurrected detector will hunt for some of the strangest particles in the universe," 8 Aug. 2019 Hubbard’s thoughts on Thetans will survive anything, as they’re reportedly inscribed on etched steel plates in titanium containers filled with inert argon gas. — Matt Farwell, The New Republic, "Jeffrey Epstein Chose New Mexico for a Reason," 15 Aug. 2019 Researchers can examine isotopes of argon within the lava flows to date them and draw a clear picture of the activity of the magnetic field at a specific point in time. — Jonathan O'callaghan, Scientific American, "Earth’s Magnetic Field Reversal Took Three Times Longer Than Thought," 7 Aug. 2019 The relative humidity of the argon gas is at 40 percent, and the case remains continually at 67 degrees Fahrenheit. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "The Science of Saving the Declaration of Independence," 3 July 2019 The extreme ultraviolet lasers had to be produced using two red optical laser pulses shot into a collection of gaseous argon atoms. — Adam Mann, National Geographic, "Physicists discover croissant-shaped twists of light," 27 June 2019 The hope is that some of the neutrinos made at Fermilab will strike the nucleus of an argon atom, releasing a burst of light and a cascade of electrons that scientists can track. — Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, "Why Fermilab is Making A Neutrino Detector 800 Miles Long," 12 Mar. 2019 The grains incorporated trace amounts of radioactive potassium, which has steadily decayed into argon ever since, providing a clock that shows the landscape formed 60 million to 70 million years ago. — Paul Voosen, Science | AAAS, "Dinosaur-age landscapes lurk in Southern Hemisphere," 26 June 2019 For instance, transporting 70,000 tons of argon — which needs to stay cool in transit in order to remain in its liquid state — to South Dakota and then underground is a task never before attempted. — Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, "Why Fermilab is Making A Neutrino Detector 800 Miles Long," 12 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'argon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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13 Sep 2019

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The first known use of argon was in 1894

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More Definitions for argon

argon

noun

English Language Learners Definition of argon

: a chemical element that is a colorless gas and that is used in various products (such as lasers and some electric light bulbs)

See the full definition for argon in the English Language Learners Dictionary

argon

noun

ar·gon | \ ˈär-ˌgän

Medical Definition of argon

: a colorless odorless inert gaseous element found in the air and in volcanic gases and used especially in lasers and electric bulbs —symbol Ar — see Chemical Elements Table