A noble gas and the second-lightest element, neon is a minor component of Earth’s atmosphere. It appears as a colorless, odorless noncombustible gas that emits bright red light when ionized. It is a nontoxic, nonflammable, and chemically inert liquid at room temperature, and its refrigerating properties make it an important ingredient in the manufacturing of cold cathode fluorescent lamps (abbreviated as CCFLs).
The first neon signs were made by Georges Claude in 1910 using his invention of a glass tube that could be bent to take on a variety of shapes. Unlike the battery-powered, glowing red bulbs now seen on storefronts everywhere, these early lights were powered by electricity generated by electrical discharge through the ionized neon gas. The accelerated electrons from this process generates photons of specific colors, which are emitted through the filament in the center of the tube. This is what gives the sign its characteristic glow, as well as the phosphorescent effect that causes it to turn green or yellow when the gas is depleted.
British chemists William Ramsay and Morris Travers discovered neon in 1898 by studying the gases that escaped from liquid air. This sample contained nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and krypton; when neon was added, its bright red emission spectrum instantly identified it as a new element. Its name comes from the Greek word neos, meaning “new.” Neon is a very inert element and does not react with other elements or molecules. However, it may form ions and excimers with fluorine, forming short-lived dimeric compounds with a complete octet of electrons.
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