Applications of Krypton

Plasma televisions comprise two glass plates, one with vertical conductive lines and one with horizontal lines, and a neon-xenon gas mixture positioned between these plates. When placed together, the two plates form a grid. Electric currents are passed through the horizontal and vertical lines, causing the gas to emit ultraviolet light, which excites fluorescent materials and create the picture (see Fig. 3.3). 

Ion beams are used in one of several types of spacecraft propulsion. In this particular process, xenon flows into the ion engine where it is electrically charged and pushed around by an electrical voltage. Two grids electrified to almost 

1300 volts accelerate xenon ions to very high velocities and shoot them out of the engine. As the ions race away from the engine, they push back on the spacecraft, propelling it in the opposite direction. As a heavy ion, xenon provides ten times more push than chemical propellants. 

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