Neon Element Facts

Neon is one of the six noble gases which occur naturally in the atmosphere of the Earth. Though the concentration of this element in the Earth's atmosphere is less than one percent, it is assumed that it is present in outer space in abundance. Neon is obtained from the liquid air in a process referred to as fractional distillation. When we talk about the neon, interesting facts such as its tendency to emit a distinct reddish-orange glow in standard conditions cannot be ignored. These neon element facts, along with its several uses, play a crucial role in making it one of the most useful elements on the planet.

Neon Element History
Neon was discovered by the duo of British chemists Sir William Ramsay and Morris Travers in 1898. The discovery occurred when this duo was conducting an experiment pertaining to the atmosphere of the Earth. They took a sample of the atmosphere, allowed it to cool until it turned to liquid, and then boiled the same. As it boiled, gases started to evaporate from it. Neon was one of the six gases which evaporated from the mixture. The other five were nitrogen, oxygen, argon, krypton and xenon.

Interesting Neon Element Facts
Neon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas present in trace amounts on the planet. It is the second lightest inert gas in the world, and the fifth most abundant chemical element in the universe. Its name was derived from the Greek word neos, meaning the 'new one'. In the periodic table, its symbol is Ne, while its atomic number is 10. The density of neon is 0.9002 g/L. Its melting point is -415.46°F, while its boiling point is -410.94°F. It is also the least reactive among the various noble gases, which invariably makes it the least reactive among all the chemical elements as well. Its rarity in the atmosphere can be attributed to its light nature and chemical inertness which allows it to escape into the outer space. All these properties of neon make it a popular constituent of various fields.

Neon Element Uses
Interestingly, neon tends to discharge electricity even in standard conditions, a trait which is not observed in other inert gases. This makes it one of the most popular inert gas when it comes to manufacturing of advertising signs, popularly referred to as neon signs, and fluorescent lamps. Though the original color of the glow produced by neon is reddish-orange, adding trace amount of mercury to it makes the glow appear blue. Various other shades can also be created by using different amount of this element. The fact that neon light can penetrate fog has popularized its use in aircraft, on the airports and in cold regions. In liquid state, neon acts as a cryogenic refrigerant, which is 40 times more efficient than helium. It is also used in manufacturing neon-helium lasers.

The rare nature of this element does make it a bit expensive, but taking its uses into consideration, the cost incurred is quite reasonable. Yet another important aspect about neon you need to be well versed with is the health hazards associated with it. Though the cases are rare, exposure to neon is known to result in breathing problems and frostbite in human beings.