Which Elements in the Periodic Table Are Gases at Room Temperature?
How many elements are gaseous at room temperature? There are 11 total, and you may recognize them if you’ve looked at different sections of the periodic table, which catalogs and organizes chemical elements by their structures and similar properties. The elements that are gases at room temperature are radon (Rn), xenon (Xe), krypton (Kr), argon (Ar), chlorine (Cl), neon (Ne), fluorine (F), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), helium (He) and hydrogen (H). “Room temperature” in chemistry generally refers to the range between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit at standard atmospheric pressure, which is the amount of force the air exerts around sea level on Earth.
We know what elements are gases at room temperature, but some elements undergo phase transitions into gases at much higher temperatures. This happens when they reach their boiling points. As different elements begin to heat up, they liquefy or melt. Once they begin boiling, they start to evaporate, which signifies their phase change into gases.
For example, iron is a metal that’s solid at room temperature. However, when heated to its boiling point, which is over 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit, iron can turn to gas as the liquid evaporates. Only the elements listed above are those that exist in the gas phase at room temperature.
