What is Krypton?
Krypton is a chemical element that is considered a noble gas similar to Neon. This particular gaseous element has no taste, color, and odor and can only be found in trace amounts in the Earth’s atmosphere or only about one part per million. Because of its scarcity, this element presents difficulty in extraction which in turn makes it very expensive. The extraction of Krypton is through a fractional distillation type of process. In this process, the air is cooled for it to solidify. Then it is heated to allow the gas particles to precipitate. In this way, various types of particles like Krypton may be taken out.

When krypton is subjected to an electric current, it gives a very bright whitish glow. This property makes krypton a good source of lighting. In fact, many people assume that neon billboard signs are all made from the element neon. But the truth is that other noble gases like krypton are also widely used in making “neon signs”. What people usually do is use krypton’s white glow and let the light pass through colored tubes so billboard signs become multi-colored.

The chemical element Krypton was said to be discovered by a Scottish chemist in the name of Sir William Ramsay and an English chemist named Morris Travers. Back in 1898, both men came upon Krypton through the residue left behind by experimenting on the effect of the evaporation process on liquid air. It is also said that both men also discovered another noble gas, Neon, through the same experimentation.

Krypton’s use is mainly in providing lighting. Aside from its use in “neon” or billboard signs and advertisements, this chemical is also used in camera “flash” parts, especially for high speed photography. When mixed with argon, Krypton also provides the light in fluorescent lamps. Krypton is also used in making lasers, incandescent bulbs, electromagnetic calorimeters, and in magnetic resonance imaging machines.