{"id":374,"date":"2020-04-09T11:31:55","date_gmt":"2020-04-09T11:31:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thechemicalelements.com\/?page_id=374"},"modified":"2023-08-15T10:06:45","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T10:06:45","slug":"radon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thechemicalelements.com\/radon\/","title":{"rendered":"Radon (Rn)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Radon is a radioactive chemical element with the atomic number 86 in the periodic table. It\u2019s found in the soil and rocks that constitute Earth\u2019s crust. As a member of the noble gas family<\/a> of periodic table elements, this monoatomic gas has eight valence electrons that prevent radon from making chemical reactions with other chemical elements.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being a highly radioactive chemical, medicine considers radon both as a Class A carcinogen substance and an important part of cancer therapies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chemical and Physical Properties of Radon<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Property<\/strong><\/td>Value<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Symbol of Radon<\/td>Rn<\/td><\/tr>
Name<\/td>Radon<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic Number of Radon<\/td>86<\/td><\/tr>
Group of Radon<\/td>Noble Gas<\/td><\/tr>
Crystal Structure of Radon<\/td>Cubic: Face centered<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic Weight of Radon<\/td>-222.0176<\/td><\/tr>
Shells of Radon<\/td>2,8,18,32,18,8<\/td><\/tr>
Orbitals of Radon<\/td>[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p6<\/td><\/tr>
Valence of Radon<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Electro Negativity of Radon<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic Radius of Radon<\/td>1.34 \u00c5<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic Volume of Radon<\/td>50.5 cm\u00b3\/mol<\/td><\/tr>
Name Origin of Radon<\/td>Variation of the name of another element, radium.<\/td><\/tr>
DiscoveredBy<\/td>Fredrich Ernst Dorn<\/td><\/tr>
Year<\/td>1898<\/td><\/tr>
Location<\/td>Germany<\/td><\/tr>
Pronounced of Radon<\/td>RAY-don<\/td><\/tr>
Oxydation States of Radon<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
Density of Radon<\/td>0.00973 g\/cm\u00b3<\/td><\/tr>
Uses of Radon<\/td>Used to treat some forms of cancer.<\/td><\/tr>
Description of Radon<\/td>Highly rare and unstable, radioactive metal.<\/td><\/tr>
Physical state<\/td>Gas at room temperature<\/td><\/tr>
Half-life<\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Electronegativity according to Pauling<\/td>2.2<\/td><\/tr>
Isotopes<\/td>37<\/td><\/tr>
Most characteristic isotope<\/td>222Rn<\/td><\/tr>
The energy of the first ionization<\/td>1037 kJ.mol-1<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With the periodic table symbol Rn, atomic number 86, atomic mass of [222] g.mol-1, and electron configuration [Xe] 4f145d106s26p6, radon is an odorless and tasteless radioactive gas with a cubic crystal structure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It reaches its boiling point at \u221261.7\u00b0C, \u221279.1\u00b0F, 211.5 K, while the melting point is achieved at \u221271\u00b0C, \u221296\u00b0F, 202 K.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This member of the noble gas family of elements in the periodic table is 7.5 times heavier than air. It has an electronegativity of 2.2 according to Pauling, whereas the atomic radius according to van der Waals is unknown.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When exposed to temperatures below its boiling point, radon transforms into a colorless liquid. On the other hand, at even lower temperatures, this radioactive gas turns into an orange-red solid substance that emits intense radiation and glows with a soft yellow light in the dark.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Was Radon Discovered?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 1900, the German physicist Friedrich Ernst Dorn (1848-1916) received the credits for discovering the element 86 of the periodic table. While observing radium<\/a>, Dorn noticed that a gas given off by element 88 emits radioactivity, which he referred to as ‘radium emanation’.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Eight years later, the British chemists William Ramsay (1852\u20131916) and Robert H. Whytlaw-Gray (1877\u20131958) succeeded in isolating radon gas and suggested the name \u2018niton\u2019 for the new element.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Did Radon Get Its Name?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Element 86 had several names (radium emanation, niton) before it was named \u2018radon\u2019, in 1928, after the element in which it was detected for the first time – radium.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where Can You Find Radon?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Radon is a naturally occurring gas that can be found in rock, soil, and water. It is formed by the decay of uranium<\/a>, radium, and thorium<\/a>, making element 86 highly radioactive. Radon mitigation occurs when groundwater flows and transfers radon gas from Earth\u2019s crust to the surface. From there, it’s released into the atmosphere where it emits radiation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Radon in Everyday Life<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite being one of the most dangerous and toxic gases, radon also has a few practical uses – mainly due to the alpha radiation it emits:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n