Neon is the second noble gas located in column 18 of the period table. Neon is the fifth most abundant element in the universe. Neon atoms have 10 electrons and 10 protons with a full outer shell of 8 electrons.
Under standard conditions the element neon is a colorless odorless gas. It is a completely inert gas, meaning that it will not combine with other elements or substances to create a compound.
Neon has the narrowest liquid range of any element. It only remains a liquid from 24.55 K to 27.05 K. It is the second lightest noble gas after helium.
When neon is in a vacuum discharge tube, it glows with a reddish-orange light.
Where is neon found on Earth?
Neon is a very rare element on Earth. It is found in very small traces in both the Earth's atmosphere and the Earth's crust. It can be produced commercially from liquid air through a process called fractional distillation.
Neon is a much more common element in stars and is the fifth most abundant element in the universe. It is created during the alpha process of stars when helium and oxygen are fused together.
How is neon used today?
Neon is used in lighting signs that are often called "neon" signs. However, neon is only used to produce a reddish orange glow. Other gases are used to create other colors even though they are still called neon signs.
Other applications that use neon include lasers, television tubes, and vacuum tubes. The liquid form of neon is used for refrigeration and is considered a more effective refrigerant than liquid helium.
Neon was discovered by British chemists Sir William Ramsay and Morris W. Travers in 1898. They warmed liquefied air and captured the gases that came off it as it boiled. They discovered three new elements including krypton, neon, and xenon. Neon was the second element they discovered.
Where did neon get its name?
The name neon comes from the Greek word "neos" which means "new".
There are three known stable isotopes of neon including neon-20, neon-21, and neon-22. The most common is neon-20 which makes up about 90% of the naturally occurring neon.
Some scientists think that neon may be able to form a compound with fluorine, the most reactive element of the periodic table.
It is used to fix measurement points for the International Temperature Scale.
Neon gas and liquid are fairly expensive because they have to be recovered from air.
Neon gas is monatomic, meaning that its atoms don't bond like oxygen and nitrogen. This makes it "lighter than air."