When you hear the word neon, you probably think of iconic open signs at restaurants and bars that glow a distinctive reddish orange. But the gas that’s used in those signs — and in lasers, TV tubes, and high-voltage indicators — has several other uses that are less familiar.
Neon is a noble gas, a class of elements that are inert and don’t react with other types of substances. It has the smallest liquid range of any element and must be chilled to a very cold temperature in order to become a liquid. Neon is created in stars by the nuclear fusion of carbon atoms.
Because of its inert nature, neon fends off oxidation. It is also an efficient conductor of electricity and can emit a spectrum of colors, though pure neon discharges a bright red color. Other colors are created by mixing the gas with argon, krypton, or other noble gases.
There are no true neon compounds in nature, but the gas can form unstable ions and weak bonds with other elements under very specific conditions such as extremely low temperatures and high pressures. In these conditions, the gas can crystallize into clathrates and Van der Waals molecules.
Neon is nontoxic at normal concentrations but is a simple asphyxiant when inhaled. At high concentrations, it can cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and even death by displacing oxygen in the lungs.
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