Who was recognised for his services in the discovery of inert gaseous elements in air and in the determination of their place in the periodic system?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 2 i.e. Sir William Ramsay.
Sir William Ramsay was a pivotal figure in chemistry for his groundbreaking work on **inert gaseous elements**. Collaborating with Lord Rayleigh, he first isolated **argon** from the air, realizing it was a new, unreactive element. This led him to predict and subsequently discover other noble gases like **neon, krypton, and xenon**, and also to isolate terrestrial **helium**. His determination of their existence and distinct properties established an entirely new group in the periodic table, fundamentally altering our understanding of elemental classification and atomic structure. For this monumental achievement, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1904.