The relative acid strength and acid amount of solid acids has been determined from the adsorption and desorption of small molecules, such as argon. The order of activation energy for desorption of Ar from a solid acid, determined using temperatureprogrammed desorption (TPD), is sulfated zirconia > Cs 2.5 H 0.5 PW 12 O 40 > proton-type zeolites > silica-alumina. The adsorption isotherms were analyzed using Langmuir and Henry equations. The Henry-type adsorption isotherms were also analyzed using the theory of Cremer and Flu¨gge. The heat of Ar adsorption was 22 kJ mol )1 for sulfated zirconia and ca. 17 kJ mol )1 for mordenite, ZSM-5, and beta-zeolite. Molybdenum oxides reduced at 623 and 773 K exhibited a large heat of adsorption (19.3 and 19.7 kJ mol )1 , respectively), and these materials are classified as superacids. W-Nb mixed-oxides and tungstated tin oxide (calcined at 1373 K), which are newly developed solid acids, had a heat of adsorption of 18.1 and 16.9 kJ mol )1 , respectively. The type of acid site could be distinguished by comparing the heat of adsorption of Ar and N 2 . Our data indicate that Ar is useful for the characterization of solid acids.