Neon is a very inert element. Neon forms an unstable hydrate. In a vacuum discharge tube, neon glows reddish orange. Of all the rare gases, the discharge of neon is the most intense at ordinary voltages and currents. It is present in the atmosphere as 1 part in 65000.
Liquid neon has over 40 times more refrigerating capacity than liquid helium, and more than 3 times that of liquid hydrogen.
Isotope abundances of neon with the most intense signal set to 100%.
The three Neon isotopes are used for various purposes. Ne-22 is used for the production of the medical radioisotope Na-22. Ne-20 can be used for the production of F-18, although the route via O-18 is by far the most commonly used. Ne-21 has been used in Masers to study quantum physics.
Isolation: neon is present to a small extent in the atmosphere and is obtained as a byproduct from the liquefaction and separation of air. This would not normally be carried out in the laboratory and neon is available commercially in cylinders under pressure.
Density of solid: 1444 kg m-3
Molar volume: 13.23 cm3
Thermal conductivity: 0.0491 W m‑1 K‑1
Melting point: 24.56 [‑248.59 °C (‑415.46 °F)] K
Boiling point: 27.07 [‑246.08 °C (‑410.94 °F)] K
Enthalpy of fusion: 20.5 kJ mol-1
Atomic radius (empirical): (no data) pm
Molecular single bond covalent radius: 67 (coordination number 1,2) ppm
van der Waals radius: [ 158 ] ppm
Pauling electronegativity: (no data) (Pauling units)
Allred Rochow electronegativity: 4.84 (Pauling units)
Mulliken-Jaffe electronegativity: 3.98 (12.5% s orbital)
First ionisation energy: 2080.66 kJ mol‑1
Second ionisation energy: 3952.32 kJ mol‑1
Third ionisation energy: 6119.42 kJ mol‑1
Universe: 1300000 ppb by weight
Crustal rocks: 3.0 ppb by weight
Human: (no data) ppb by weight
