Among all the elements of the chemical periodic table, such a group as inert gases has interesting properties. These include argon, neon, helium and some other substances. What is neon, and where in the modern world is this gas widely used?
The history of the discovery of neon
The periodic table was not immediately filled with all chemical elements, so there were gaps in some groups and periods. So, chemists predicted the discovery of new substances, which happened with neon. The first scientist who thought about the existence of neon was the chemist Ramsay Rayleigh. At that time, two nearest inert gases were discovered: argon and helium, but the intermediate cell in the table was empty. The scientist suggested that the new element would have an atomic mass of 20 and a hydrogen density of 10, however, what neon is in nature was not known.
How was Ramsay able to isolate neon and prove its existence? In his experiment, ordinary atmospheric air was used, which was first liquefied and then slowly evaporated. Thus obtained,gaseous fractions were studied in a discharge tube, which made it possible to see the lines of the spectrum of substances. Along these lines and found a new element.
Neon is the sixth most common element in the universe. The meaning of the word from Greek is translated as "new". Initially, Ramsay's son Willy suggested that the new element be called novum, which also meant "new", but his father decided to change this word a little to neon, which, in his opinion, sounded better.
Neon Properties
This inert gas is located between argon and helium in the periodic table, which gives it the intermediate properties of these substances. Neon has two energy levels containing 2 and 8 electrons. This feature directly affects the reactivity of the gas, because it does not form compounds with other elements.
What is neon in terms of chemistry? It is a light gas that liquefies at -245.98°C and has a boiling point of 2.6°C. The solubility of the gas in water is very low, but the adsorption of neon on activated carbon makes it possible to separate pure gas from its impurities.
What is neon in terms of physics? This is a gas that, under the influence of current, is divided into bright red and orange spectra. The neon light that it emits at the same time is very stable and bright. The physics of this phenomenon lies in the impact of electrons on neon atoms, which causes the latter to emit photons of light.
Where is neon
In the universe, neon is the 6th most abundant after helium,hydrogen and a number of other elements. This inert gas occupies relatively large volumes of stars and red planets. When studying Pluto, it was suggested that its atmosphere consists entirely of neon, and in the lower layers this gas liquefies due to critically low temperatures on this planet.
As for the Earth, neon is found most in the atmosphere (0.00182%) and very little in the earth's crust. It is believed that the inability of inert gases to bind with other elements and form minerals was the main reason why these substances remained in small quantities on Earth.
Using neon
Now the demand for neon has grown very much in production, which means its constant shortage. This is due to the fact that the release of pure inert gas takes a long time, and its content in the air is very low.
Neon is used in industry as a refrigerant in cryogenic technology. At the temperatures of liquid neon, rocket fuel is stored, animal and plant tissues, and chemicals are frozen. In neon crystals, optimal conditions are created for the occurrence of very complex reactions that do not tolerate the action of heat (synthesis of H2O2, oxygen fluorides, etc.).
Some lamps and fixtures also use neon. The importance of this gas as a source of light is very great, because. its glow can be seen at great distances. Neon lamps are used for installation on a lighthouse, airfield strips, high-rise towers. Some text advertisements are illuminated by lamps based onneon.
In such lamps, neon is not in its pure form. It is always mixed in the right proportions with argon, which gives the light an orange color. However, this does not impair the properties of good visibility in any way, since these lamps are visible in all adverse weather conditions and over long distances.
