Neon

Neon

Neon is a noble gas element with the symbol Ne and atomic number 10. It is a colorless, odorless, inert monatomic gas under standard conditions, with about two-thirds the density of air. Neon is the fifth most abundant element in the universe, but it is rare on Earth. It was discovered in 1898 by the British chemists Sir William Ramsay and Morris W. Travers in London. Neon is extracted by fractional distillation of liquefied air, which separates the various gases based on their boiling points. The primary commercial application of neon is in neon lighting, where it is used in luminous signage due to its intense and distinctive reddish-orange glow when used in low-voltage neon glow lamps and advertising signs. The vivid red emission line of neon also causes its use in helium–neon lasers and neon lamps in households. In scientific research, neon is used in gas lasers and liquid neon is an important cryogenic refrigerant. Neon has no known biological role and is non-toxic, though its compounds are considerably less stable than those of helium, the first noble gas.

noble gas, luminous signage, cryogenic refrigerant, monatomic gas

— John Armstrong