Major Sources of the Element Neon

Neon glows reddish-orange when electricity is passed through it in a sealed tube.

Neon is a noble gas, found in Group 18 of the periodic table. Its atomic number is 10, which means its nucleus contains 10 protons, and it's surrounded by 10 electrons. Its chemical symbol is Ne, and its atomic weight is 20.1797. It is mostly known for its use in neon signs for advertising, in which a current is run through a tube of neon glass, which glows bright reddish-orange.

Noble Gas

Because all of neon's valence electron shells are filled, the element does not readily bond with other elements to make compounds. This makes it a noble gas, along with the elements helium, argon, krypton, xenon and radon. Under the right conditions, neon can bond with fluorine, and it can also form ions with other noble gases as well as an unstable hydrate, but these instances are rare. Because of its atomic stability and resistance to bonding, neon exists as a gas at room temperature.

Where Neon Is Found

Neon does not form compounds, so it is generally not found in the solid earth. Only 0.00007 parts per million (ppm) of neon is found in the Earth's crust. Similarly, it is also not found dissolved in seawater, averaging only 0.0002 ppm. Instead, it exists in greatest abundance as a gas in the Earth's atmosphere in the concentration of 18 ppm, which is still relatively rare. Outside of this planet, neon can be found in stars like the sun.

Purifying Neon

Because the most abundant source of neon by far is Earth's atmosphere, this is where industry gets the element. This process involves cooling air until it liquefies. Then fractional distillation separates the liquid air into the different atmospheric gases: nitrogen, oxygen, water, argon, carbon dioxide, neon, helium, methane, hydrogen, nitrous oxide and ozone. Neon boils at minus 410.98 degrees Fahrenheit, where it can then be condensed in its pure form. Approximately one ton of neon gas is produced by this method worldwide each year.

Uses of Neon

Neon is best known for its use in advertising signage, though other gases are used to achieve colors other than its recognizable reddish-orange color. Neon is also used to make lasers, lightening arrestors, voltage detectors and vacuum tubes for old-fashioned televisions.

References

• Chemical Elements: Neon
• Environmental Chemistry: Element Neon
• ThinkQuest: Element 10 - Neon (Ne)
• The Encyclopedia of Earth: Atmospheric Composition