Neon
Atomic number 10 means that every Neon nucleus contains 10 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Neon.
Start with the nucleus
Atomic number 10 means that every Neon nucleus contains 10 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Neon.
Neon (Ne) is chemical element 10. It belongs to the noble gases, and its reference state at room temperature is a gas. Those basic facts are a useful starting point for its chemistry and applications.
In practice, it turns up most often in lighting, lasers and cryogenics.
See the atom
Conceptual visual: electron shells are a learning aid, not a literal picture of quantum orbitals.
What this number means
Atomic number 10 means that every Neon nucleus contains 10 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Neon.