Free Radicals is a non-profit organization dedicated to making chemistry fun and easy to learn for the entire planet. Diversity, equity and inclusion are core to our mission. Many shy away from chemistry - an amazing subject because it is often thought to be too hard or plain boring. Part of our mission is to change this negative mindset by showing how applicable chemistry is to everyday life and how non-complicated it actually is. We believe all aspects of chemistry should be fun and easy to learn, especially when coupled with stunning facts and interactive media. Introduction to Neon The element neon, symbol Ne, is a noble gas that is colorless and odorless under standard conditions. In the presence of an electrical current, neon gas glows a familiar bright red-orange color. Neon is unreactive. Ten Amazing Facts About Neon Neon has the narrowest liquid range of any element. The element exists in liquid form in a range of only 2.5℃. It is the second-lightest noble gas, with helium being the first. Even though it is fairly rare on Earth, neon is the fourth most abundant element in the universe. It makes up 18 parts per million of air. The neon sign is the element’s most well-known application. The first one was made by Georges Claude in 1910 and debuted at the Paris Expo. If you see a neon sign that is not reddish-orange, the gas inside is not neon! Neon has about two-thirds the density of air. Therefore, a neon balloon would float, but it would rise slower than a helium balloon because helium is lighter. Breathing neon will make your voice a higher pitch, but not nearly as much as the helium will. The name neon comes from the Greek word “neos” meaning “new” Liquid neon is used as a cryogenic refrigerant, and it is also used to freeze corpses (creepy!). Helium and neon are the only elements that do not form compounds with other elements, although ions and ligands have been formed. Neon has 3 stable isotopes that occur naturally and an additional 17 radioactive isotopes.