How do the gaseous neon atoms in a neon sign emit light?

Answer 1

It has to do with electron orbitals. When a current is run through the gas the electrons change energy levels, or orbitals, which gives off different colors of light which are unique to that element

Answer 2

Neon is a general term for the signs you see on buildings. Many elements are used in these signs to emit different colors. For instance, Neon is a red color, while Argon is blue - we just call these signs Neon because that was the first gas used when they were invented.

When you apply a very high voltage across a gas, this energy creates a state of matter called a plasma. As an electron in that gas is energized - it can only stay energized for so long, and when it starts to loose its energy and return to its ground state of energy - it will emit photons and we see this as light ( light rays are photons). This is the same effect you see in Alaska called the Aurora Borealis, or northern lights.

Different elements will emit different colors due to the energy required to excite those electrons is different for each element. Thus, Neon reflects red because that is the energy level in the visible spectrum that it is excitable to.

Answer 3

Electrons are lazy. They don't want to do any more work than they have to. So, when they're in an atom, they're generally in the lowest possible energy level that they can occupy, called its "ground state," which translates roughly to doing the bare minimum amount of work to get by (I can relate!) But, when you apply some energy to that atom, the electron gets excited and jumps out to a higher energy level. In order to do this, the electron has to absorb some of that energy to get it out there. After a while, the electron decides it's tired of working that hard, and moves back to its ground state where it's supposed to be. At that point, the electron gives back that energy it absorbed in the form of a "photon," a bundle of light energy. Billions and billions of photons make a visible light of a certain wavelength that we can see. This is how neon lights work.

Answer 4

Neon atoms absorb electrical energy and then emit energy. The emitted energy is the light you see.

Answer 5

When the atoms in neon emit light, they are moving to a lower energy state, such as a less excited state, or to the ground state.