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.
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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.
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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.
- WebElements
- The Periodic Table on the WWW.
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.
- Neon
Colors.
Visit this site to see many of the
possible colors found in neon signs. Notice that colors
listed are made with just three elements.
- Just
Neon's FAQ Page.
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.
- Neon:
A Brief History of Signs.
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.
- The
History of Neon Signs.
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.
- Ray
Kolty's Neon FAQ.
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.
- Museum
of Neon Art.
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.
- Neon
Artworks.
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.
- GlassLight
Gallery.
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.
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1 class period for research, answering the set of
questions, and designing a piece of neon art
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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
- Who discovered neon and when? Who first produced a
neon lamp?
- 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.
- Which of the noble gases is most often used in neon
signs?
- How is the gas introduced into the glass tubing used
in neon signs?
- How does a neon tube produce light?
- What are the three different ways colored light can be
produced in neon tubing?
- How long does a neon sign last?
- How many different colors can now be produced in neon
tubing?
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.
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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?
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