Chemical Formula
Rn
Background
Radon was first discovered by Fredrich E. Dorn from Germany in 1900 while working with the element radium. Later, in 1908, Robert Gray and William Ramsay isolated the gas which was named as niton. The gas has been called as radon by IUPAC since 1923.
Basic Information
| Name |
Radon |
| Symbol |
Rn |
| Atomic number |
86 |
| Atomic weight |
222 amu |
| Standard state |
Gas at 298 K |
| CAS Registry ID |
10043-92-2 |
| Group in periodic table |
18 |
| Group name |
Noble gas |
| Period in periodic table |
6 |
| Block in periodic table |
p-block |
| Color |
Colorless |
| Classification |
Non-metallic |
| Melting point |
202 K (-71°C or -96°F) |
| Boiling point |
211.45 K (-61.7°C or -79.1°F) |
| Density |
0.0097 g/cm3 |
| Phase at room temperature |
Gas |
Occurrence
Radon can be obtained from the decay of radioactive element in the rocks. A very small quantity of radon is also present in the atmosphere.
Radon - Periodic Table of Videos
Isotopes
About 33 isotopes of radon have been discovered so far and their mass numbers range from 196Rn to 228Rn. None of them are stable. However, the longest-lived isotope of radon is 222Rn having a half-life of 3.8 days.
Production
Radon can be isolated through a radioactive decay of a radium isotope.
226Ra → 222Rn + 4He
It can also be obtained as a byproduct resulting from the processes of liquefaction and separation of air.
Key Properties
The key properties of radon include the following:
- It is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas
- It exhibits brilliant yellow phosphorescence at temperature below its freezing point
- It is the densest gas discovered so far
- It is not chemically very reactive
- It is sparingly soluble in water.
Applications
The major applications of radon include the following:
- Owing to its ability to emit alpha rays and radioactive polonium rays, radon can be used in radiotherapy for treating cancer
- It also finds applications in geological research for tracking air masses.
References
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