Colors of Neon - Neon light
Neon (symbol: Ne atomic number: 10 Gr. neos, new) was discovered by Travers and Ramsay in 1898. Neon is a rare gaseous element present in the atmosphere to the extent of 1/65000. It is obtained by liquefaction of air and separated from the other gases by fractional distillation. Natural neon is a mixture of three isotopes. Six other unstable isotopes are known. Neon is a very inert element and it is questionable if true compounds of neon exist. In a vacuum discharge tube, neon glows reddish orange. It has more refrigerating capacity per unit volume than liquid helium (40 times more) and more than three times that of liquid hydrogen. Neon is inert, compact and is less expensive than helium. The discharge of neon is the most intense at ordinary voltages and currents of all the rare gases. Neon is used in advertising signs, high-voltage indicators, lightning arrestors, and TV tubes. Neon and helium are used in making gas lasers.