ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Inert gas

An inert gas is like a little superhero that helps keep things safe. It's a gas that doesn't like to mix or react with other things, kind of like how you might not want to play with certain toys or eat certain foods. For example, helium is an inert gas that we use to fill up balloons. When we blow up a balloon with helium, the helium doesn't mix with the air inside the balloon, which is mostly nitrogen and oxygen.

Some people use other inert gases like argon in light bulbs. When we turn on a light bulb, the filament inside gets really hot and can burn out quickly. But when we fill the bulb with argon, it helps to slow down the burning process and make the bulb last longer.

In many chemical reactions, we want things to happen super quickly, but in some cases, we don't want anything to happen at all! That's where inert gases come in. They can help to keep certain chemicals from reacting quickly with each other, which can keep things safe and prevent explosions or other dangerous situations.

So basically, an inert gas is a special gas that is really good at not reacting with other things, which makes it helpful in all kinds of different uses, from filling balloons to keeping light bulbs bright, to keeping scientists and engineers safe in the lab.