Neon
An inert noble gas that glows orange-red in lights.
Inside the Neon atom
Switch between Bohr and Quantum Cloud modes to compare a simple teaching model with a more realistic probability-based view, and follow the guided tour to explore the Neon atom step by step.
Electron configuration
[He] 2s2 2p6
A neutral Neon atom has 10 electrons (equal to its proton count). Choosing a different isotope above changes only the neutron count.
Shell distribution
Electrons fill inner shells before outer ones; the outermost (valence) shell drives the element's chemistry.
Physical & atomic properties
- State (room temp)
- Gas
- Melting point
- 25 K (-249 °C)
- Boiling point
- 27 K (-246 °C)
- Density
- 0.0008999 g/cm³
- Electronegativity
- —
- Atomic radius
- 38 pm
- 1st ionization energy
- 2081 kJ/mol
- Category
- Noble gases
Discovery & naming
- Discovered
- 1898
- Discovered by
- William Ramsay and Morris Travers
- Origin of name
- Greek 'neos', meaning new.
Notable uses
Glowing neon signs, high-voltage indicators, and lasers.
Where Neon comes from
Stellar fusion and dying stars
A product of carbon burning deep in massive stars, ejected when the star finally explodes.
Simplified origin map — many elements form through more than one astrophysical pathway.
Summary
- Atomic number
- 10
- Atomic mass
- 20.180
- Category
- Noble gases
- Group · Period
- 18 · 2
- Block
- p-block
- Shells
- 2 · 8