THE+ART+OF+NEON

> You see the signs everywhere you go – red, green, yellow, blue – flashing colors in the darkness of night. Evening outings would be very dull without neon signs. Neon signs tell us when stores are open, and whether or not a motel has a vacancy. They advertise everything from bowling alleys to nightclubs. What would Las Vegas be without its glittery neon signs? Just about everyone is familiar with neon signs, but do you know what makes them glow? Neon is a gas, one of the noble gases in the Periodic Table of Elements. It shares its inert properties with the other noble gases – argon, krypton, xenon, and radon. When electricity passes through these gases, they give off a glow. This glow is the basis for neon signs. > In the last few years, neon has begun to show up in places other than advertising. Neon artists have begun to use glass neon tubing in sculptures large and small. Some neon artists combine neon art with other media to create one-of-a-kind pieces. Some of these neon sculptures can even light up in sequence as music plays. What are the properties of the noble gases that allow them to be used in neon signs? Where do the colors in neon signs come from? How many different colors can be made in neon signs? What happens inside neon tubes to create the characteristic glow? In this WebQuest, you will find out the answers to these questions as you explore the art of neon. > [|Top] > Your job in this WebQuest is to explore the chemistry behind neon signs, and learn how the different colors of these signs are made. You will discover exactly how the noble gases are inserted into glass tubing, and how the gases are made to glow. You will also learn how different colors of neon signs are created. You will find out how neon glass tubing can be bent and how neon artists create their works of art. Then you will answer a set of questions about neon signs. Finally, you will design your own piece of neon art. > [|Top] > Look at the web sites given here to find the information that will enable you to answer the questions about neon signs and design your own piece of neon art. >> Visit this site for information on the noble gases. You can click on any element in this periodic table to read about that element and its properties. Click on any of the noble gases to find out about that element. >> Go to this site to find the answers to questions you might have about neon and neon lights. This site is intended more for neon artists than chemistry students. >> At this site you can find out about the discovery of neon and how neon signs operate. Scroll down and click on how are artists using neon to learn more about neon as art. >> Visit this site to see many of the possible colors found in neon signs. Notice that colors listed are made with just three elements. >> Go to this site to find out more about neon signs. You can learn exactly how a noble gas is introduced and held inside a glass tube at this site. >> At this site you can find a history of neon’s discovery and its use in neon signs. You can find out here how the glass tubing used in neon signs is made. >> Visit this site to learn about the inventor of the first neon lamp. You can find out how neon signs are made here, and about what colors are produced by using the elements argon and mercury. >> Go to this site for more information about how neon tubes light up, how neon tubes are made, and how the colors of neon tubes are created. >> At this site you can see how artists are using neon tubing in artworks. Scroll down and click on web gallery to see some neon art pieces presently on exhibit at this museum. >> Visit this site to see all kinds of uses for neon signs as art. Click on free standing sculptures to see some wonderful examples of neon art. >> Go to this site to see neon art and neon sculpture. Scroll down and click on views of the luminous sculpture. On the menu at the left side of the screen, click on jellyfish to see an amazing array of neon sculptures. > [|Top] > 1 class period for research, answering the set of questions, and designing a piece of neon art > [|Top] > Read through the following set of questions before you begin your Internet research. As you explore each site, look for answers to the questions. > **//Questions about The Art of Neon//** >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > Once you have finished your Internet research and answered the above questions, you can begin to think about the design of your piece of neon art. Decide on what object you wish to depict. Think about the colors you want to include. If you need help, go back to the sites that offer neon art pieces for some ideas. You will need to draw your design and identify what colors you plan to use. If you can, identify what type of tubing you will use from question 6 above, and identify the gas or gases that will provide the colors you choose. Give an indication of size of the object as well. > [|Top] > In the process of completing this WebQuest, you’ve become informed about the chemistry of neon and other noble gases. You have discovered how neon signs are made and what goes on inside the glass tubing to produce the colors that we see. You have learned about three ways to produce a wide variety of colors in neon signs. You have developed research skills as you explored the web sites given and identified the relevant information to answer the set of questions above. You have also explored the use of neon tubing in art and designed an art piece of your own. Did you know that other gases besides neon are used in neon signs? Krypton gas produces a white light when electricity passes through it. Why isn’t krypton used in neon signs? > [|Top] || || ||
 * || || **An Internet WebQuest****THE ART OF NEON**
 * Introduction**
 * Task**
 * Resources**
 * **[|WebElements – The Periodic Table on the WWW.]**
 * **[|Krypton Neon – Everything you ever wanted to know about Neon.]**
 * **[|Neon Knights: Part 1: An Exploration of Neon.]**
 * **[|Neon Colors.]**
 * **[|Just Neon’s FAQ Page.]**
 * **[|Neon: A Brief History of Signs.]**
 * **[|The History of Neon Signs.]**
 * **[|Ray Kolty’s Neon FAQ.]**
 * **[|Museum of Neon Art.]**
 * [|**Neon Artworks.**]
 * **[|GlassLight Gallery.]**
 * Time**
 * Process**
 * 1) Who discovered neon and when? Who first produced a neon lamp?
 * 1) Which of the noble gases produce a colored glow when excited by electricity passing through a glass tube in which the gas is confined? Name the gas and the characteristic color it produces.
 * 1) Which of the noble gases is most often used in neon signs?
 * 1) How is the gas introduced into the glass tubing used in neon signs?
 * 1) How does a neon tube produce light?
 * 1) What are the three different ways colored light can be produced in neon tubing?
 * 1) How long does a neon sign last?
 * 1) How many different colors can now be produced in neon tubing?
 * Conclusion**

> In this WebQuest, students do some Internet research on neon signs. They learn about the different noble gases that are used to produce colors in neon signs, and about the chemistry involved in producing those colors. Students find out a little about the discovery of neon and the history of neon signs. Students answer some questions about neon signs based on their Internet research. Finally, students use what they have learned about neon signs and the noble gases to design a piece of neon art. > [|Top] > While students are doing their Internet research, they will try to answer the set of questions given. Each web site has some of the answers to the questions. For some questions, students will have to read through two or three of the web sites. Students should be encouraged to explore web sites beyond the prompts given, especially the sites showing neon art, as they begin to design their own works of neon art. > **Objectives** >> >> >> > [|Top] > Students will use the Internet links given to find out all about neon signs. They will learn about the chemistry of the noble gases and how electricity passing through glass tubing filled with these gases causes chemical changes that produce light energy. Students will identify the noble gases most commonly used in neon signs. They will also discover how 150 different colors can be produced through use of different types of glass tubing and combinations of gases. Students will use the information they have gathered to answer the set of questions and design a piece of neon art. > [|Top] > 1 class period for research, answering the set of questions, and designing a piece of neon art > [|Top] > As students progress through the list of web sites, you may help them to focus on what they need to know to answer the questions given. Students are not expected to become experts in the chemistry of the noble gases. However, if any students wish to spend more time on the chemistry of these gases, you may encourage them to do so. Tell students that although glass tubing can be bent into nearly any shape prior to the insertion of the gases, most often it is sold in lengths of 4, 6, and 8 feet. Their designs should take these lengths into consideration. If students choose unusual colors for their neon art they may have trouble identifying what type of tubing is used for that color. > [|Top] > You may assign 10 points to each of the eight questions, and 20 points to the design of a neon art piece, for a total of 100 possible points. The answers to the questions are given below. //You may rate the answer to each question by the following point scale: Excellent – 9-10 points; Very Good – 7-8 points; Good – 5-6 points; Satisfactory – 3-4 points; Poor – 1-2 points; and Unsatisfactory – 0 points.// > **//Questions about The Art of Neon//** >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > Once students have answered the questions, evaluated their designs for neon art pieces. Make sure they have identified the colors used, what gases produce those colors, and the size of the finished piece of art. > [|Top] > Using information gathered from the Internet, students should be able to answer the questions given about the chemistry of the noble gases and about neon signs. Students should be able to describe the chemical changes that occur as electricity passes through these gases when they are confined within the glass tubing of neon signs. Students should also be able to identify the three ways in which glass tubing is treated to produce a wide variety of colors when combined with neon and argon and mercury. Students should be able to discover that although krypton produces a ghostly white color when electricity is applied, it is too faint to be of use in neon signs. > [|Top] >
 * WebQuest Teacher Page**
 * An Internet WebQuest**
 * THE ART OF NEON**
 * Introduction**
 * Task**
 * **Research** the chemistry of the noble gases – neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon.
 * **Describe** the chemical changes that occur when electricity passes through noble gases to produce the characteristic colors of neon signs.
 * **Identify** three ways in which different colors can be produced in neon signs.
 * **Design** a piece of neon art and identify the gases used to produce the colors used.
 * Resources**
 * Time**
 * Process**
 * Evaluation**
 * 1) Neon gas was discovered in 1898 by William Ramsey and Morris Travers. The first neon lamp was produced by Georges Claude.
 * 1) Neon produces a reddish-orange color. Argon produces a faint purple. Krypton produces a ghostly white. Xenon produces a blue glow. No information exists on radon as it is not used in neon signs.
 * 1) Neon and a combination of argon and mercury are the most commonly used gases in neon signs.
 * 1) Neon tubes are capped off by two glass electrodes that have wire passing from outside to inside. One of these electrodes has a tubulation – a small tube which remains as a passage from outside to inside. Tubulations are sealed to a pumping system. The pumping system has glass stopcocks or valves that allow sections to be selectively opened or closed. An ultrahigh vacuum pump pulls air out of the tube while a high voltage transformer bombards and heats the remaining air – to produce temperatures in excess of 500ºF. This allows the tube to achieve a higher degree of purity. When a high vacuum is reached, and the tube begins to cool, a small amount of inert gas is introduced from a flask or a tank of pressurized gas. The tubulation is then heated and as it is pulled it such inward to make the tube’s own seal.
 * 1) Electrical current bombards the inert gas atoms with electrons, knocking some electrons out of their orbits, thus ionizing the gas atoms. These free electrons collide with other free electrons, sending them back towards the gas atoms. When the free electrons collide with the atoms, they are absorbed into the atoms, thus releasing energy in the form of light.
 * 1) 1) Clear glass tubing with neon produces red or reddish-orange; Clear glass tubing with argon produces faint purple. 2) Some colors are produced by inert gases in tubing with fluorescent powders painted or baked on the inside. 3) Colored glass may be used in combination with neon or argon and mercury to produce other colors.
 * 1) Neon signs can last for decades; most last at least 8 to 15 years.
 * 1) more than 150 colors
 * Conclusion**