The colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that makes neon signs glow was first synthesized in 1898 by William Ramsay and Morris Travers at University College London. It is one of the six elements — along with helium, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon — found in the right-most column of the periodic table, known as noble gases. Like its noble gas comrades, it is inert with very low chemical reactivity.
Like the other noble gases, neon has a full outer shell of electrons, which gives it no incentive to swap its own with other elements or compounds. However, neon can form a few short-lived molecular ions, and it may react with fluorine. It is able to do so, but only under certain laboratory conditions.
When a voltage is applied across a gas discharge tube, atoms of neon can be “ionized” by having an electron plucked from its orbital. Once ionized, the positively charged ions can capture other electrons to recombine, resulting in the typically colored discharge seen in a neon sign. The ions also release energy in the form of photons.
Neon is nontoxic and essentially harmless when inhaled, though it can be fatal in extreme cases of asphyxiation due to inhaling a sufficient quantity of gas. It is also used in scientific research and manufacturing as an inert gas to prevent a device, compound, or other material from changing or oxidizing while it’s being worked on or stored. It is a key ingredient in the process of silicon semiconductor manufacture, and is also used as a cryogenic refrigerant at extremely cold temperatures. Astronomers have even discovered the presence of neon in planet-forming disks around young stars, helping scientists understand how they form.
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