Neon
---
| General Properties | |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 10 |
| Atomic mass | 20.180amu |
| Atomic radius | 38pm |
| Electron Configuration | [He] 2s2 2p6 |
| Density | 0.00090g/cm3 |
| Melting point | -248.59°C |
| Boiling point | -246.05°C |
| First discovered/ developed | 1898 |
---
Description and uses
Neon is the second noble gas, and is the 10th element in the periodic table. It occurs naturally in air. It was first discovered in 1898 by William Ramsay. He
was evaporating liquid air and collected the known gases at their boiling point. He then collected and analysed the residue. From that, he discovered many noble
gases such as krypton.
Neon's main use is in lights. When electrically charged, it produces a bright, orange-red light like in the background. Although other, similar lights that are
differently coloured are called “Neon” lights, they are not made of neon, and are often made of another noble gas, or some other fluorescent substance entirely.
Neon has 3 isotopes: 20Ne, 21Ne, 22Ne. The most common one by far is 20Ne, making up around 90% of all neon atoms. It
was originally made in a sun via nuclear fusion.