What is Neon?

neon

Neon is a color that is making quite the comeback this season and it looks like it won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. From the runway to high-street brands, neon is appearing everywhere in everything from coats and dresses to shoes and accessories.

The word “neon” comes from the Greek word for new and is used to describe things that are fresh, exciting or trendy. This makes neon a great choice for anyone looking to add a pop of color that is both modern and on-trend.

A noble gas, neon is colorless and odorless and emits a bright red-orange glow when electricity is applied to it. It is a rare element found on Earth and is commonly used in advertising signs and other fluorescent lighting. It is also used in vacuum tubes, high voltage indicators and combined with helium to make helium-neon lasers.

Unlike most other elements, neon does not react with other substances. However, it can form dimeric molecules called excimers, in which one of the atoms loses its complete octet of electrons. It is also a component of Van der Waals molecules and ions. Neon is nonflammable, inert and nontoxic, but it can act as a simple asphyxiant when inhaled at high concentrations.

Neon is part of group 18 of the Periodic Table. Other naturally occurring members of this group are argon, krypton and xenon. It was first isolated by William Ramsay and Morris Travers in 1898. The synthetic noble gas oganesson was added in 2016 to bring the total number of naturally occurring members of this group to seven.