Neon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas with an atomic number of 10. It is part of the noble gases group, which includes argon and helium, and makes up only 0.0018% of the Earth’s atmosphere. Neon has an inert, nonreactive nature and a complete outer shell of electrons, so it does not react with other elements. Neon can form compounds with fluorine under certain laboratory conditions, but otherwise is unreactive.
Neon was discovered by William Ramsay, a Scottish chemist, and Morris Travers, an English chemist, in 1898. Ramsay chilled air until it turned liquid and separated the components, identifying oxygen, nitrogen and argon first before discovering neon. He named the new element for its Greek analogue, neos (meaning “new”).
Like all noble gases, neon is inert and does not react. Its atoms do not have enough energy to attract and swap electrons with other atoms, but can make a few short-lived molecules called excimers, which must contain an atom with a full octet of electrons.
Inhalation of high concentrations of noble gases can be toxic. According to Lenntech, symptoms of exposure include rapid breathing and air hunger, drowsiness, irritability and disorientation, loss of judgment and confusion, nausea, vomiting, depression, coma and death. The chemical is also a simple asphyxiant, meaning it causes asphyxia by depriving the body of oxygen. For more safety information, see the DOT Emergency Guidelines for Neon.