Element 10 · Neon (Ne)

Neon Bohr model: diagram and electrons per shell

The neon Bohr model shows a neon atom (Ne) as a small nucleus with its electrons circling it in 2 shells: 2 in shell K and 8 in shell L. This page has a rotating 3D neon Bohr model, a flat diagram, a table of the electrons in each shell and the steps to draw it yourself.

Rotate the neon Bohr model in 3D

Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom.

This is a Bohr model of neon (Ne), a simplified picture of a single neon atom. Its nucleus holds 10 protons, and a neutral neon atom has 10 electrons, arranged around it in 2 shells (2 in shell K and 8 in shell L).

Ne K · 21s² L · 82s² 2p⁶

Neon Bohr model diagram

Bohr model diagram of neon: a nucleus of 10 protons with 10 electrons on 2 shells, 2 in shell K and 8 in shell L, each ring labelled with its shell letter. — The neon Bohr model drawn flat: each ring is a shell, labelled with its letter, and every dot is an electron (2 in shell K and 8 in shell L).

Neon electrons per shell

A neutral neon atom has 10 electrons, one for each of its 10 protons. They fill the shells from the nucleus outwards: 2 in shell K and 8 in shell L.

Electrons in each shell of the neon Bohr model
Shell	Shell number (n)	Electrons	Most it can hold (2n²)	Subshells
K	1	2	2	1s²
L	2	8	8	2s² 2p⁶

How the neon Bohr model builds up, shell by shell

Watch the neon Bohr model come together: the nucleus first, then each shell in turn, from the innermost outwards, with its electrons joining the ring. The legend names every shell and counts its electrons, so you can read off the arrangement (2 in shell K and 8 in shell L) as it forms.

Animation of the neon Bohr model being built: a nucleus of 10 protons appears first, then each shell grows in around it and takes its electrons, giving 10 electrons on 2 shells (2 in shell K and 8 in shell L). — The neon Bohr model built up in six seconds: the nucleus first, then each shell with its electrons, ending with 2 in shell K and 8 in shell L. Protons are red, neutrons yellow and electrons blue.

How to draw the neon Bohr model

Find the atomic number. Neon has atomic number 10, so a neutral atom has 10 protons and 10 electrons.
Draw the nucleus. Put a circle in the centre and write Ne in it. The 10 protons sit there with the neutrons.
Draw the shells. Sketch 2 shells as rings around the nucleus. A shell holds at most 2n² electrons: 2 in the first, 8 in the second, 18 in the third and 32 in the fourth.
Place the electrons. Fill from the inside out: 2 in shell K and 8 in shell L.
Check the total. 2 + 8 = 10, the atomic number, so every electron is accounted for.

Atomic data for the neon Bohr model

The numbers behind the neon Bohr model, grouped by topic. Radii are in picometres (pm) and energies in kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol).

Identity

Symbol: Ne
Atomic number: 10
Atomic mass: 20.1798 u
Family: Noble Gases
Position: group 18, period 2
Block: p-block

Electron configuration

Full: 1s² 2s² 2p⁶
Shorthand: [He] 2s² 2p⁶
Electrons per shell: 2, 8
Outer-shell electrons: 8 in shell L

Ionisation energies

I₁: 2080.7
I₂: 3952.3
I₃: 6122
I₄: 9371
I₅: 12177
I₆: 15238
I₇: 19999
I₈: 23069.5

Energy to remove each electron in turn (kJ/mol). A sharp jump means the next electron comes from an inner shell.

Atomic radii

Calculated (pm): 38
Empirical (pm): 160
Covalent (pm): 67
Van der Waals (pm): 154

Electronegativity and electron affinity

Electron affinity (kJ/mol): -116

Physical properties, abundance and history of neon

Bulk properties of neon, how common it is, who discovered it and some of its compounds.

Physical properties

Phase at room conditions: Gas
Appearance: Colorless gas exhibiting an orange-red glow when placed in a high voltage electric field
Melting point: -248.59°C (24.56 K)
Boiling point: -246.05°C (27.104 K)
Density: 0.0009002 g/cm³
Specific heat (J/g·K): 1.03
Heat of vaporisation (kJ/mol): 1.74

Abundance

Earth's crust (mg/kg): 0.005
Oceans (mg/L): 0

Discovery

Discovered by: Morris Travers
Year: 1898

Common compounds

Neon Ne
Neon-20 Ne
Neon-22 Ne
Neon-21 Ne
Helium, compd. with neon (1:1) HeNe
Neon--water (1/1) H2NeO
Neon-hydrogen chloride ClHNe
Neon-19 Ne

Compounds listed in the PubChem database.

Main isotopes of neon

Isotopes of neon share the same 10 protons but differ in neutrons. Natural isotopes come first, then the longest-lived others.

Main isotopes of neon: mass number, abundance, half-life and decay
Mass number	Natural abundance	Half-life	Decay
19	–	17.257 s	β⁺
20	90.48 %	stable	–
21	0.27 %	stable	–
22	9.25 %	stable	–
23	–	37.15 s	β⁻
24	–	3.38 min	β⁻

α = alpha decay, β⁻ = beta-minus, β⁺ = beta-plus, EC = electron capture, SF = spontaneous fission, p / n = proton / neutron emission.

More about neon

Neon on the periodic table – properties, isotopes, uses and the full neon page.
Noble Gases – all noble gas elements and their trends.
Bohr model of every element – the Bohr model of all 118 elements.