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Natural radon concentrations in the Earth's atmosphere are so low that radon-rich water in contact with the atmosphere will continually lose radon by volatilization. Hence, ground water has a higher concentration of 222 Rn than surface water , because radon is continuously produced by radioactive decay of 226 Ra present in rocks.
Radon-222 itself alpha decays to polonium-218 with a half-life of approximately 3.82 days, making it the most stable isotope of radon. [1] Its final decay product is stable lead-206 . In theory, 222 Rn is capable of double beta decay to 222 Ra, and depending on the mass measurement, single beta decay to 222 Fr may also be allowed.
Radon compounds are chemical compounds formed by the element radon (Rn). Radon is a noble gas, i.e. a zero-valence element, and is chemically not very reactive. The 3.8-day half-life of radon-222 makes it useful in physical sciences as a natural tracer. Because radon is a gas under normal circumstances, and its decay-chain parents are not, it ...
Radon, a byproduct of naturally decaying uranium, is estimated to cause thousands of deaths each year nationwide. Here's how to protect yourself.
There are 39 known isotopes of radon (86 Rn), from 193 Rn to 231 Rn; all are radioactive.The most stable isotope is 222 Rn with a half-life of 3.8235 days, which decays into 218 Po
Radium hydroxide (Ra(OH) 2) is formed via the reaction of radium metal with water, and is the most readily soluble among the alkaline earth hydroxides and a stronger base than its barium congener, barium hydroxide. [25]
Radon goes further towards metallic behavior than xenon; the difluoride RnF 2 is highly ionic, and cationic Rn 2+ is formed in halogen fluoride solutions. For this reason, kinetic hindrance makes it difficult to oxidize radon beyond the +2 state. Only tracer experiments appear to have succeeded in doing so, probably forming RnF 4, RnF 6, and RnO 3.
The general population is exposed to small amounts of polonium as a radon daughter in indoor air; the isotopes 214 Po and 218 Po are thought to cause the majority [92] of the estimated 15,000–22,000 lung cancer deaths in the US every year that have been attributed to indoor radon. [93] Tobacco smoking causes additional exposure to polonium. [94]