# noble as in noble fields of study (and noble gases)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noble-as-in-noble-fields-of-study-and-noble-gases/620870>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [May 4, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noble-as-in-noble-fields-of-study-and-noble-gases/620870 "2012-05-04T13:52:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ClarenceClancy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@ClarenceClancy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ClarenceClancy)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noble-as-in-noble-fields-of-study-and-noble-gases/620870/1 "2012-05-04T13:52:27Z")

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How is “noble” being used in these contexts below? I think of noble in its relation to ruling as in British nobility. Are these subjects and elements somehow higher in some sense than their peers:

**Noble fields of study:**

There are five according to someone: music, philosophy, physics, mathematics, and (one other).  
(either Edwin Hung said this or he was quoting someone else)

\*\*Noble gases: \*\*

Helium and neon

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**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noble-as-in-noble-fields-of-study-and-noble-gases/620870/2 "2012-05-04T18:41:05Z")

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For the gases, I assumed it wasn’t so much that they were higher, just that they didn’t combine with any other elements, so (by metaphor,) they’re like the nobility, who only socialize among their own kind.

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**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noble-as-in-noble-fields-of-study-and-noble-gases/620870/3 "2012-05-04T19:04:42Z")

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And there are significantly more Noble Gases than helium and neon. That entire extreme right-hand column is Noble (Inert) Gases.

Helium  
Neon  
Argon  
Krypton  
Xenon  
Radon  
(Ununoctium) - Included but they’ve only ever seen 3 atoms of it so far, so not sure how established it is.

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**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noble-as-in-noble-fields-of-study-and-noble-gases/620870/4 "2012-05-04T19:12:43Z")

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> [@chrisk](#):
>
> For the gases, I assumed it wasn’t so much that they were higher, just that they didn’t combine with any other elements, so (by metaphor,) they’re like the nobility, who only socialize among their own kind.

That’s how I remember having it explained to me in high school chemistry.

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noble-as-in-noble-fields-of-study-and-noble-gases/620870/5 "2012-05-04T19:38:17Z")

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This should be in GQ.

According to [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_gas), the term comes from the German word _edelgas_, or noble gas. It also alludes to it being analogous to _noble metal_, which I think, at least in concept, goes back to antiquity.