What is Neon?

Neon is a bright, highly viscous, nonflammable gas with a very low boiling point and vapor pressure. It is a noble gas that does not react with other elements, although it may form short-lived dimeric molecules called excimers. Its color comes from the emission of red, green and blue light when its atoms are excited by electric currents.

Chemically inert neon is used to fill lamp bulbs and tubes. It is a refrigerant and has 40 times the cooling capacity per volume of liquid helium and three times that of liquid hydrogen. Neon is also found in the planet-forming disks around young stars, helping astronomers track their formation.

Like argon, neon is a noble gas that does not react at room temperature. It is found in the Earth’s atmosphere (at a concentration of about 1 part per 65,000 parts of air), in hot springs and fumaroles, and in the gas discharge tube lamps (shorthand for cold cathode fluorescent lights, or CCFL) that are a common sight in retail stores and other businesses. These lamps use neon or a mixture of gases including argon to produce a glow that is both energy efficient and long-lasting.

Neon is the third most abundant element in the visible light spectrum and can be detected at wavelengths up to 10 micrometers. It has three stable isotopes and fourteen unstable ones. Check out our Periodic Table of the Elements to learn the symbols, groupings, classification and properties for each element!