Neon Facts - Ne or Element 10

Neon is the element best-known for brightly-lit signs, but this noble gas is used for many other purposes. Here are neon facts:

Neon Basic Facts

Atomic Number: 10

Symbol: Ne

Atomic Weight: 20.1797

Discovery: Sir William Ramsey, M.W. Travers 1898 (England)

Electron Configuration: [He]2s²2p⁶

Word Origin: Greek neos: new

Isotopes: Natural neon is a mix of three isotopes. Five other unstable isotopes of neon are known.

Neon Properties: The melting point of neon is -248.67°C, boiling point is -246.048°C (1 atm), density of gas is 0.89990 g/l (1 atm, 0°C), density of liquid at b.p. is 1.207 g/cm³, and valence is 0. Neon is very inert, but it does form some compounds, such as with fluorine. The following ions are known: Ne⁺, (NeAr)⁺, (NeH)⁺, (HeNe)⁺. Neon is known to form an unstable hydrate. Neon plasma glows reddish orange. The discharge of neon is the most intense of the rare gases at ordinary currents and voltages.

Uses: Neon is used to make neon signs. Neon and helium are used to make gas lasers. Neon is used in lightning arrestors, television tubes, high-voltage indicators, and wave meter tubes. Liquid neon is used as a cryogenic refrigerant, as it has over 40 times the refrigerating capacity per unit volume than liquid helium and over three times that of liquid hydrogen.

Sources: Neon is a rare gaseous element. It is present in the atmosphere to the extent of 1 part per 65,000 of air. Neon is obtained by liquefaction of air and separation using fractional distillation.

Element Classification: Inert (Noble) Gas

Neon Physical Data

Density (g/cc): 1.204 (@ -246°C)

Appearance: colorless, odorless, tasteless gas

Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 16.8

Covalent Radius (pm): 71

Specific Heat (@20°C J/g mol): 1.029

Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 1.74

Debye Temperature (K): 63.00

Pauling Negativity Number: 0.0

First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 2079.4

Oxidation States: n/a

Lattice Structure: Face-Centered Cubic

Lattice Constant (Å): 4.430

CAS Registry Number: 7440-01-9

References: Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001), Crescent Chemical Company (2001), Lange's Handbook of Chemistry (1952), CRC Handbook of Chemistry & Physics (18th Ed.)