Noble gases are sometimes called "inert gases." What can you infer about the meaning of the word "inert" in chemistry?
Outer electron shell full, does not want to give up, gain, or share electrons, stands alone in its nobility and is extremely reluctant to play chemistry with anything even another of its own kind. For example H is usually H2 molecule but He, helium, full inner shell, is just He molecule. You can have H2O, water, but not He anything.
To infer the meaning of the word "inert" in chemistry, we can utilize a few strategies. First, let's look at the context in which the term is being used. In this case, "inert" is being used to describe noble gases. Secondly, we can examine the common definitions of the word "inert" in general. Thirdly, we can consider the properties and behavior of noble gases in the context of chemistry.
By considering these factors, we can infer that in chemistry, the term "inert" is used to describe substances or elements that are chemically unreactive or non-reactive. In the case of noble gases, they are called "inert gases" because they have full valence electron shells, making them very stable and unlikely to form chemical bonds with other elements. This lack of reactivity is what gives noble gases their name as "inert gases" in chemistry.