As an expert in the field of chemistry and combustion processes, I can provide a detailed explanation on the topic of gases and their role in the process of burning.

Burning, scientifically known as combustion, is a chemical reaction that typically involves a fuel and an oxidizer. The most common oxidizer in nature is oxygen, which is why we often associate burning with the reaction of a substance with oxygen. However, it's important to note that the term "burning" is not limited to reactions involving only oxygen.

The process of combustion can be summarized by the following general equation:
\[ \text{Fuel} + \text{Oxidizer} \rightarrow \text{Products} + \text{Energy} \]

In this equation, the fuel is the substance that is being burned, and the oxidizer is the substance that accepts electrons from the fuel, facilitating the reaction. Oxygen is the most common oxidizer because it is abundant in the Earth's atmosphere and readily participates in combustion reactions.

Now, to address the question of which gas does not help in burning, we must first understand that for a gas to aid in combustion, it must be able to accept electrons from the fuel. Gases that are unable to do this, such as noble gases like helium, neon, and argon, do not support combustion. These gases are chemically inert and do not readily react with other substances, including fuels.

It's also worth mentioning that while oxygen is the most common oxidizer, other gases can also support combustion. For example, fluorine is a highly reactive gas that can react with many substances, including fuels, to support combustion. However, fluorine is not as readily available as oxygen and is not typically considered in everyday discussions of combustion.

The process of combustion involving oxygen and hydrogen, for instance, is relatively straightforward. Hydrogen gas (H2) reacts with oxygen (O2) to produce water (H2O) and release energy:
\[ 2H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2H_2O + \text{Energy} \]

This reaction is highly exothermic, meaning it releases a significant amount of energy in the form of heat and light, which is characteristic of a combustion reaction.

In summary, the gas that does not help in burning is one that cannot act as an oxidizer and accept electrons from the fuel. Noble gases are examples of such gases. While oxygen is the most common and readily available oxidizer, other gases like fluorine can also support combustion, albeit less commonly.

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The answer is that burning is the process of reacting with oxygen to produce energy. (Well, to be really pedantic, it may be possible to use other gases such a Fluorine, but oxygen is so readily available, we usually mean oxygen.) The burning process in the case of oxygen and hydrogen is relatively simple.read more >>