Understanding the Elements of the Periodic Table

Neon gets its name from the Greek word neos, meaning “new.” Neon is a noble gas, it is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, and glows reddish-orange in a vacuum tube. Readers will learn about the three naturally occurring neon isotopes, and about neon’s place among the other noble gases in the periodic table of elements. The text also describes how neon lights are made essentially the same way today as they were in the early twentieth century, the workings of a neon laser, and how an atom emits light.