Often the discovery of radon honors Ernest Rutherford. In addition, he discovered the alpha-particle radiation produced by radon. In 1923, Radon became the official name for element 86. IUPAC has selected radon from the names radon (Rn), thoron (Tn), and actinon (An). The other two names are given to radon isotopes. Thoron is Rn-220 and actinon has been Rn-219. Many possible names for rad Thoron is Rn-220 and actinon has been Rn-219. Many names proposed for radon included radium emanation, niton, extadio, exthorio, exactinio, akton, radeon, thoreon, and actineon.
Radon Uses
The application of radon relies on the radiation it produces. Such radiation can not be heard, felt, tasted or sensed by any other human sense. However, a number of instruments have been invented to detect this radiation. For example, a Geiger counter is a device that makes a clicking sound or flashes a light when the radiation is passing through it.
Radon was first discovered by Fredrich E. Dorn from Germany in 1900 while working with the radium element. Later, in 1908, Robert Gray and William Ramsay isolated the gas that had been named niton. The gas has been named radon by IUPAC since 1923.
Radon is everywhere; it is formed from uranium in all rocks and soils. Radon levels are low outdoors and indoors in many locations, and the risk to health is minimal. The darker the color of the radon maps, the greater the chance of a high level of radon in the building. Almost all houses, however, even in the darkest places, have high levels.
The Atomic Number of Radon
Radon is a chemical element with the Rn symbol and atomic number 86.
Radon (Rn) is a radioactive, colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that occurs naturally as the decay of the elements radium, uranium, and thorium. This is a noble (or inert) gas, which means that it is chemically inactive and interacts with other compounds only in extreme conditions. It is dense — the hardest known gas — and is considered a health hazard due to its radioactivity.
Radon Element
Radon (Rn), a chemical element, a heavy radioactive gas of Group 18 (noble gases) of the periodic table, produced by the radioactive decay of the radium. (Radon was originally called radium emanation.)
What is the Boiling Point of Radon
Radon is a colorless gas, 7.5 times heavier than air, and more than 100 times heavier than hydrogen. The gas is liquefied at −61.8 ° C (−79.2 ° F) and freezes at −71 ° C (−96 ° F).
Radon Atomic Mass
Radon is an element with atomic symbol Rn, atomic number 86, and 222.0.
The three naturally occurring radon isotopes (222Rn, 220Rn, and 219Rn) with half-lives varying over 3 orders of magnitude are useful as tracers in many branches of geoscience. In its successful use as an environmental tracer, a detailed understanding of its physical, chemical, and nuclear properties is needed.
Properties of Radon
Physical Properties of Radon & Chemical Properties of Radon
Radon has a melting point of -71°C, the boiling point of -61.8 °C, the gas density of 9.73 g/l, the specific gravity of the liquid state of 4.4 at -62°C, the specific gravity of the solid-state of 4, usually with a valency of 0 (it does form some compounds, however, such as radon fluoride).
Radon is a colorless gas at normal temperatures. It is also the heaviest of the gases. When it is cooled below its freezing point it displays brilliant phosphorescence. The phosphorescence is yellow as the temperature decreases, becoming orange-red at the temperature of the liquid air. Radon inhalation poses a health risk. Radon build-up is a health concern when working with radium, thorium, or actinium. It is also a possible problem in the uranium mining industry.
Health Effects of Radon
Radon exists mostly in a gaseous state, and people are predominantly exposed to it by breathing air. Exposure to the factor through breathing can cause lung disease. The great thing about radon is that it does not have adverse consequences without direct interaction with it.
Radioactive elements formed by the decay of radon can be inhaled and entered into our lungs. Within the lungs, these components tend to decay and emit radiation, most of all alpha particles. They are absorbed by surrounding lung tissues and cause localized damage. This damage can lead to cancer of the lungs. In other words, Radioactive elements are decaying and emitting radiation. Any exposure to this type of radiation is a health risk-radiation is a form of energy and can cause damage to living tissues, increasing the risk of cancer.
FAQs on Radon
1. What is Radon and what are its basic properties?
Radon (Rn) is a chemical element with atomic number 86. It is a radioactive, colourless, and odourless gas belonging to the noble gas group. Some of its key properties include:
- It is the densest known gas.
- It is chemically inert, though not completely unreactive.
- It exhibits a brilliant yellow phosphorescence when cooled below its freezing point.
- As a noble gas, it exists as a monoatomic element.
2. Where is Radon located in the periodic table and what is its electronic configuration?
Radon is located in Group 18 (the noble gases) and Period 6 of the periodic table. As it is a noble gas, it has a complete valence shell, making it very stable. Its detailed electronic configuration is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p⁶, which explains its chemical inertness.
3. What are the main uses of Radon in medicine and scientific research?
Despite its risks, Radon has specific controlled applications. Its primary use has been in radiotherapy, where small, sealed capsules of Radon were used to treat cancerous tumours. Additionally, scientists use changes in underground Radon concentrations as a potential tool for earthquake prediction and to study atmospheric transport processes.
4. How does Radon exposure pose a health risk to humans?
The main health risk from Radon is not from the gas itself but from its solid, radioactive decay products, known as Radon progeny. When Radon gas is inhaled, these tiny particles can get trapped in the lungs. As they continue to decay, they emit high-energy alpha particles that can damage the DNA of lung cells, significantly increasing the risk of developing lung cancer. It is a leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
5. Where does Radon gas come from and why can it accumulate in homes?
Radon is naturally produced from the radioactive decay of Uranium-238, which is commonly found in soil, rocks, and groundwater across the globe. Since Radon is a gas, it can easily seep out of the ground and into the air. It can accumulate in enclosed spaces like basements and homes, entering through cracks in foundations, gaps around pipes, and from well water. Poor ventilation traps the gas, allowing its concentration to build to dangerous levels.
6. What makes Radon different from other noble gases like Helium or Neon?
The most significant difference is that Radon is intensely radioactive, while lighter noble gases like Helium and Neon are stable (non-radioactive). This radioactivity dominates Radon's chemistry and applications. Furthermore, Radon is the densest of all noble gases and has a much higher boiling point. While all are chemically inert, Radon, like Xenon, can form a few chemical compounds under specific conditions, whereas Helium and Neon are practically unreactive.
7. Why is inhaling Radon gas considered more dangerous than external exposure to many other radioactive sources?
Inhaling Radon is particularly dangerous because it delivers the radioactive source directly inside the body. External alpha or beta radiation can often be blocked by skin. However, when Radon gas is inhaled, its solid decay products (progeny) deposit directly onto the delicate lung tissue. This creates an internal, continuous source of high-energy alpha particles that bombard sensitive cells at very close range, leading to a much higher probability of causing DNA damage and cancer compared to an external source of the same strength.
8. What is the relationship between the decay of Uranium and the formation of Radon?
Radon is a key link in the long decay chain of Uranium-238. Uranium-238, a solid element present in the Earth's crust, decays over billions of years through a series of steps. One of the intermediate products in this chain is Radium-226, another solid. When Radium-226 decays, it transforms into Radon-222, which is a gas. This transformation from a solid (Radium) to a gas (Radon) is crucial, as it allows the element to become mobile, escape from the rock and soil, and enter the atmosphere.
