We often use the word neon to refer to color. Neon orange, neon yellow, and neon green. This is because neon is used to create such bright colors. when electricity moves through it, it glows red. However, it is a bad electrical conductor.
Neon is a nonreactive colorless and odorless gas. It was discovered by Sir William Ramsey and Morris William Travers in 1898. It is obtained in the form of liquid air. Its name comes from the Greek word neos which means new.
Neon has 10 protons, 10 electrons, and (most commonly) 20 neutrons. It has two energy levels. The first energy level has two electrons, and the second one eight.
This picture shows a neon atom and the number of its electrons, protons, and neutrons.
20 neutrons     half life- stable
21 neutrons     half life- stable
22 neutrons     half life- stable
There are actually 8 but none of the other ones are that well known and are not stable.
~Main Isotopes~
It has an atomic mass of 20.1797 amu(atomic mass unit) and a cubic structure(see right). Its density (at 293K is 0.901grams per centimeter cubed.
It was thought to be inert but has been reported to have form highly, unstable compounds with flourine. Its existance is still questioned.
Neon Hall of Fame
Sir William Ramsey(right) and Morris William Travers (left) discovered neon in 1898.
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Neon is often used in lights(see left). It gives off a orangish red (see picture at the bottom) glow. When combined with other gases and elements such as argon, you end up with all sorts of "neon" colors(see below).
Neon is in group 18 (VIIIA) and period 2 of
the periodic table. Its atomic symbol is Ne. Its boiling point is 27.1K at 293K and 1 atm
and its melting point is 24.48K. It has a density of 0.0009 grams per centimeter and has an atomic radius of 160 pm.
Neon is found in the atmoshere( very little because it is lighter than air. It only makes up 0.0018%), in rocks in the earth's crust, and in space(where it is a lot more abundant than it is here on earth.