>After teaching general chemistry this year, I need to answer Denis's
>question. Neon does not burn-it is an extremely inert gas, perhaps only
>reacting with fluorine. When put in an electrical discharge tube, as in
>neon signs, it emits a bright reddish orange light. Of all the inert
>gases, neon emits the brightest light. The reference to neon, as far as
>a chemist is concerned, is to brightness of color, not the shade of color
>produced.
>
>Jim Neitzel

OK, now I'm intrigued. If electrically charged neon emits bright
reddish-orange light, how do you get yellow? Or green? Or red? Is each
color a different inert gas or mixes thereof?

And therefore "neon-yellow" just means *really bright* yellow, I guess.
Sounds like a goldfinch.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416