Throughout earth there is hundreds of known and unknown elements. My element is radon. Radon was discovered in 1900 by a man named Friedrich Ernst Dorn. He discovered it while studying radium’s decay chain. Marie Curie had founded the element two years prior to Friedrichs discovery. Its atomic number is eighty-six and its atomic mass is two hundred twenty-two. It is also a colorless odorless gas. Radon is commonly used in geiger counters to detect presence of radiation leaking from an object or site. This is basically what is used in kits to test the levels of radon in a given area. Radon is also used by hospitals to treat cancer. Hospitals got radon from a radium source and applying to tumors. It is also used in PET scans which detect cancer.
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One concept is Nuclear chemistry. Specifically, when we studied half-life’s and decay modes such as alpha and beta decay. Radon’s half-life is 3.823 days and undergoes alpha decay. Another concept again is nuclear chemistry and when we studied that if its unstable that means its radioactive. In this case radon is unreactive meaning it won’t react to different changes like weather, but it is highly radioactive. That means it gives off radiation which is harmful to us. Radon is the leading cause to more deaths from lung cancer to non-smokers then regular smokers. It is known as “the silent killer” because of that and also causes more deaths than drunk driving. We also learned a little about radon in unit six: the periodic table. We learned that group eighteen is home to the noble gasses which is what radon is. In that unit we also learned what makes things gasses and radon fits all the above. It is odorless, colorless, has no smell and has no taste. Radon does show good through its uses but also is dangerous. Going back to what was stated before it is called “the silent killer” for a reason because you can’t see it. You can’t smell it and you can’t taste it. I f you are exposed to Radon for a long period of time it can result in death due to the radioactivity. Radon can be seen when mixed with substances in a crystalized form or a solid when taken from the earths crust, but it is still very small to
One concept is Nuclear chemistry. Specifically, when we studied half-life’s and decay modes such as alpha and beta decay. Radon’s half-life is 3.823 days and undergoes alpha decay. Another concept again is nuclear chemistry and when we studied that if its unstable that means its radioactive. In this case radon is unreactive meaning it won’t react to different changes like weather, but it is highly radioactive. That means it gives off radiation which is harmful to us. Radon is the leading cause to more deaths from lung cancer to non-smokers then regular smokers. It is known as “the silent killer” because of that and also causes more deaths than drunk driving. We also learned a little about radon in unit six: the periodic table. We learned that group eighteen is home to the noble gasses which is what radon is. In that unit we also learned what makes things gasses and radon fits all the above. It is odorless, colorless, has no smell and has no taste. Radon does show good through its uses but also is dangerous. Going back to what was stated before it is called “the silent killer” for a reason because you can’t see it. You can’t smell it and you can’t taste it. I f you are exposed to Radon for a long period of time it can result in death due to the radioactivity. Radon can be seen when mixed with substances in a crystalized form or a solid when taken from the earths crust, but it is still very small to