Radon (Rn) is a chemical element of the periodic table, located in the group 18 and the period 6, and is having the atomic number 86. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas, whose name comes from the Latin word “nitens”, which means shining. It is a member of the noble gas group and is counted as one of the radioactive elements.
On periodic table
| group | ⇨ | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| period | ⇩ | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 1 H  Hydrogen |
2 He  Helium |
|||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 3 Li  Lithium |
4 Be  Beryllium |
5 B  Boron |
6 C  Carbon |
7 N  Nitrogen |
8 O  Oxygen |
9 F  Fluorine |
10 Ne  Neon |
|||||||||||
| 3 | 11 Na  Sodium |
12 Mg  Magnesium |
13 Al  Aluminium |
14 Si  Silicon |
15 P  Phosphorus |
16 S  Sulfur |
17 Cl  Chlorine |
18 Ar  Argon |
|||||||||||
| 4 | 19 K  Potassium |
20 Ca  Calcium |
21 Sc  Scandium |
22 Ti  Titanium |
23 V  Vanadium |
24 Cr  Chromium |
25 Mn  Manganese |
26 Fe  Iron |
27 Co  Cobalt |
28 Ni  Nickel |
29 Cu  Copper |
30 Zn  Zinc |
31 Ga  Gallium |
32 Ge  Germanium |
33 As  Arsenic |
34 Se  Selenium |
35 Br  Bromine |
36 Kr  Krypton |
|
| 5 | 37 Rb  Rubidium |
38 Sr  Strontium |
39 Y  Yttrium |
40 Zr  Zirconium |
41 Nb  Niobium |
42 Mo  Molybdenum |
43 Tc  Technetium |
44 Ru  Ruthenium |
45 Rh  Rhodium |
46 Pd  Palladium |
47 Ag  Silver |
48 Cd  Cadmium |
49 In  Indium |
50 Sn  Tin |
51 Sb  Antimony |
52 Te  Tellurium |
53 I  Iodine |
54 Xe  Xenon |
|
| 6 | 55 Cs  Caesium |
56 Ba  Barium |
72 Hf  Hafnium |
73 Ta  Tantalum |
74 W  Tungsten |
75 Re  Rhenium |
76 Os  Osmium |
77 Ir  Iridium |
78 Pt  Platinum |
79 Au  Gold |
80 Hg  Mercury |
81 Tl  Thallium |
82 Pb  Lead |
83 Bi  Bismuth |
84 Po  Polonium |
85 At  Astatine |
86 Rn Radon |
||
| 7 | 87 Fr  Francium |
88 Ra  Radium |
104 Rf  Rutherfordium |
105 Db  Dubnium |
106 Sg  Seaborgium |
107 Bh  Bohrium |
108 Hs  Hassium |
109 Mt  Meitnerium |
110 Ds  Darmstadtium |
111 Rg  Roentgenium |
112 Cn  Copernicium |
113 Nh  Nihonium |
114 Fl  Flerovium |
115 Mc  Moscovium |
116 Lv  Livermorium |
117 Ts  Tennessine |
118 Og  Oganesson |
||
| 57 La  Lanthanum |
58 Ce  Cerium |
59 Pr  Praseodymium |
60 Nd  Neodymium |
61 Pm  Promethium |
62 Sm  Samarium |
63 Eu  Europium |
64 Gd  Gadolinium |
65 Tb  Terbium |
66 Dy  Dysprosium |
67 Ho  Holmium |
68 Er  Erbium |
69 Tm  Thulium |
70 Yb  Ytterbium |
71 Lu  Lutetium |
|||||
| 89 Ac  Actinium |
90 Th  Thorium |
91 Pa  Protactinium |
92 U  Uranium |
93 Np  Neptunium |
94 Pu  Plutonium |
95 Am  Americium |
96 Cm  Curium |
97 Bk  Berkelium |
98 Cf  Californium |
99 Es  Einsteinium |
100 Fm  Fermium |
101 Md  Mendelevium |
102 No  Nobelium |
103 Lr  Lawrencium |
|||||
| – p block |
Radon is a p-block element, situated in the eighteenth column and the sixth row of the periodic table. Its atomic number is 86 and its symbol is Rn.
Element information
 |
|
| Origin of name | Latin word “nitens” (which means shining) |
| Symbol | Rn |
| Atomic number (Z) | 86 |
| Atomic mass | (222) |
| Block | p-block |
| Group | 18 |
| Period | 6 |
| Classification | Noble gas |
| Covalent radius | 150 pm |
| Van der Waals radius | 220 pm |
| Melting point | -71 ℃, -96 ℉, 202 K |
| Boiling point | -61.7 ℃, -79.1 ℉, 211.5 K |
| Electron configuration | [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p6 |
| Electrons per shell | 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 8 |
| Crystal structure | Face-centered cubic (fcc) |
| Phase at r.t | Gas |
| Density near r.t | 9.73 g/L |
| Natural occurrence | From decay |
| Oxidation state | 0 |
| Electronegativity (Pauling scale) | 2.2 |
| Protons Neutrons Electrons |
86 136 86 |
| Learn how to find: Radon protons neutrons electrons | |
| Valence electrons | 8 |
| Learn how to find: Radon valence electrons | |
| CAS number | 10043-92-2 |
| Discovered by | Ernest Rutherford and Robert B. Owens in 1899 |
History
The discovery of radon dates back to 1899 when Ernest Rutherford and Robert B. Owens discovered the fifth radioactive element at McGill University in Montreal. This discovery followed the discoveries of uranium, thorium, radium, and polonium. Radon was initially observed as emanation, a gas that remained radioactive for several minutes. Friedrich Ernst Dorn reported similar observations for radium compounds in 1900, and Rutherford and Harriet Brooks demonstrated that the emanations were radioactive in 1901. In 1910, William Ramsay and Robert Whytlaw-Gray isolated radon and found it to be the heaviest known gas.
The name “radon” was suggested in 1918, replacing earlier suggestions such as “exradio,” “exthorio,” and “exactinio.” Sir William Ramsay suggested that the “emanations” might contain a new element of the noble gas family due to the similarity of the spectra of these gases with those of argon, krypton, and xenon. The element’s discovery caused some confusion in the literature as the isotope had been discovered before the element. Even in the 1960s, the element was sometimes referred to simply as emanation.
The dangers of high exposure to radon in mines, where exposure levels can reach 1,000,000 Bq/m3, have long been known. The presence of radon in indoor air was documented as early as 1950, and research on sources, concentration determinants, health effects, and mitigation approaches began in the 1970s. However, the problem of indoor radon did not receive widespread publicity until 1984, after a Pennsylvania nuclear power plant worker was found to be contaminated with radioactivity due to high radon concentration in his home.
Occurrence and production
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is formed by the decay of uranium and thorium in soil, rock, and water. It is present in most soils and rocks, and can seep into buildings through cracks and gaps in the foundation. Radon is found all over the world and its concentration varies depending on the geology of the area. High levels of radon can be found in certain types of rocks, such as granite and shale, and in areas with a high concentration of uranium and thorium in the soil.
Radon is not typically produced intentionally for commercial purposes, but can be generated in small quantities in laboratories by bombarding radium, thorium, or bismuth with high-energy particles. The decay of radium and thorium in soil, rock, and water is the primary natural source of radon, while the decay of bismuth is the primary artificial source. However, the amount of radon produced by these methods is generally too small for commercial applications. As a result, most radon used in industry and research is obtained from natural sources.
Properties
Physical properties
Radon is a gas at room temperature and standard pressure.
It is one of the densest substances that remains a gas under normal conditions.
Its boiling point is -61.7 ℃ and its melting point is -71 ℃.
Chemical properties
Radon is an extremely unreactive element due to its stable electron configuration.
It does not form stable compounds with other elements and is generally inert.
It can, however, form unstable compounds with highly electronegative elements under certain conditions.
Radioactive properties
Radon is highly radioactive and decays through alpha decay.
Its most stable isotope, Rn-222, has a half-life of 3.8 days.
Radon emits alpha particles, which can be stopped by a sheet of paper or the outer layer of human skin, but can be harmful if inhaled or ingested.
Applications
Geology and seismology
Radon is used in geology and seismology to study the Earth’s crust and detect earthquake activity. Radon gas seeping out of the Earth’s crust is a good indicator of potential seismic activity. Radon detectors are also used to monitor the concentration of radon gas in the ground and in water.
Medical applications
Radon has been used in the treatment of cancer. Radon therapy is a form of radiation therapy that involves exposing cancer cells to high levels of radon gas. This treatment is not commonly used today due to its potential health hazards.
Industrial applications
Radon is used in industrial applications to study material defects and in quality control of materials such as plastics and metals. Radon detectors are also used to detect leaks in pipes and other sealed systems.
Energy production
Radon is used as a tracer in the exploration of oil and gas reserves. It is also used in the study of geothermal energy resources.
Environmental studies
Radon is used in environmental studies to study air and water pollution. Radon detectors are used to monitor radon levels in the environment and to study the movement of pollutants through the atmosphere and waterways.
Interesting facts
Radon is a noble gas and is the heaviest known gas that exists in a natural state.
The name “radon” is derived from the Latin word “nitens” which means “shining” because of its radioluminescence property.
Radon is responsible for around 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year in the United States, making it the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.
Radon is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, making it impossible to detect without specialized equipment.
Radon is produced naturally by the decay of uranium in rocks and soil.
Radon has a very short half-life of only 3.8 days, meaning it quickly decays into other elements.
Radon is used in some medical treatments to destroy cancer cells.
Radon can accumulate in enclosed spaces such as homes and workplaces, leading to increased health risks for those who inhabit them.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that radon levels in homes should be below 100 Bq/m3.
Radon gas is denser than air, and therefore tends to accumulate in low-lying areas such as basements and crawl spaces.
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Related
More elements
External links
- https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/86/radon
- https://www.britannica.com/science/radon
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radon
- https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/element/Radon
- https://www.livescience.com/39546-radon.html
- https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele086.html
- https://www.chemicool.com/elements/radon.html
- https://periodic.lanl.gov/86.shtml
- https://www.thoughtco.com/interesting-radon-element-facts-603364
Deep
Learnool.com was founded by Deep Rana, who is a mechanical engineer by profession and a blogger by passion. He has a good conceptual knowledge on different educational topics and he provides the same on this website. He loves to learn something new everyday and believes that the best utilization of free time is developing a new skill.