Saturday, November 26, 2011

Neon Signs!!

Resource: http://peachtron.hubpages.com/hub/How-Do-Neon-Signs-Work

Neon signs are very eye catching. Before I explain how they work, its best to know why they are used. Its usually used for businesses which is good since they catch a lot of attention. Who doesn't want to see something wonderful like numerous colors like a neon sign? Well, I could imagine some people are boring, but the majority usually gets attracted to it. They are also good for setting a mood like in bars for sports games. The way these bright eye catchers work is semi-complicated, but I can put it simply. First of all, Neon is a inert gas. It is very structurally sound, but to put it in technical terms, they tend to keep their molecular structure. They show very little effect to chemical reactions, but electrodes can be a different story. To put it simply, the neon signs are one of the ways to actually make use of the inert gases. Electrodes sends a voltage into the tube the gas is held in. This increases the kinetic energy and once this kinetic energy reaches a peak it ionizes. This causes the electron to jump the next orbital and it gives it a positive or negative charge. The electrons that had become excited drop down to their normal energy level which results in a light or photon emitted. Also, even though it is called neon signs, not all the signs use neon. There are different elements that will create different colors. For example, Mercury could be used to make a light blue color and Argon mixed with phosphor will create a yellow glow.

Elements can be really fun when you know what to use it for. This article really shows that and I think it answered many frequently asked questions that may come from curious people. The page also may help people to be more informed about neon signs and there's nothing better than knowing more.

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