How do neon signs glow?

sportsherald

"Making Neon Lights Neon or fluorescent lights are made in much the same way today as they were a hundred years ago: Hollow glass tubes are cut into 4-foot, 5-foot or sometimes 8-foot lengths. These tubes are heated and bent into shapes such as letters or pictures. Then electrodes are added to each end of the tubes, followed by the removal of the air inside. This air is replaced with a gas, such as neon, that will give the desired color. Coating the inside of the tubes with fluorescent powders will provide additional colors. How Light Is Produced When atoms are subjected to an electric current or other energy source, the electrons are pushed into higher energy levels. When these electrons return to their usual energy levels, they give off light. This is exactly what happens in the fluorescent light tube. A current passes from an electrode through the gas to the other electrode. The electrons of the gas rise and fall at different rates, thus giving the impression of a continuous light." -from: Techniques Used to Produce Neon Lights | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6930284_techniques-used-produce-neon-lights.html#ixzz1rOhbY3Ac Apr 07 12, 4:45 PM