Science 24

Elements are made of atoms that contain electrons, neutrons and protons. Tiny electrons orbit a dense nucleus of protons and neutrons.

Neon is an element found naturally in several different forms. These forms are known as isotopes and have differing numbers of neutrons, the uncharged particles found in the nucleus.

The number of neutrons and the number of protons (positively charged particles) determine the element’s atomic mass.

Three isotopes of neon are shown in Table 1.