In its pure, colorless state, neon is a nonflammable, odorless gas with two-thirds the density of air. It is inert under normal conditions, but it glows bright red-orange when electricity passes through it—the process known as discharge. Neon is used for signs, lighting, displays, and other applications where a color-changing display is desired.
The element was discovered by Scottish chemists William Ramsay and Morris Travers in 1898. They were working with argon when they noticed that the sample glowed a bright crimson when they ran a high voltage through it. It turns out that the atoms of this new element had excited, or “ionized,” when they were exposed to the electric current. The ionized atoms were then free to move about the tube, producing light. Ramsay and Travers named the new element after its Greek meaning, “something new.”
Most of the neon in the universe and Solar System is produced through the nuclear fusion of oxygen and helium within stars. On Earth, it’s found in very small quantities in the atmosphere (about 18.2 ppm), sea water (0.2 ppm), and in some volcanic fumaroles and hot springs.
Like the other noble gases — helium, argon, krypton, and xenon — neon is nontoxic, but it is also a simple asphyxiant, according to Lenntech. Exposure to large concentrations may cause dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, or even death. Neon is also a refrigerant that can operate at very low temperatures, such as in some thermometers and lasers.
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