Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by the decay of uranium. It decays into other radioactive elements, releasing alpha and beta particles. Radon is dangerous to humans because it can cause cancer if ingested or breathed in. It is present in many homes and can collect where there is no ventilation. Radon decay occurs through a chain of events, with one element changing into another element, and scientists use a half-life measurement to monitor the concentrations of each element.
Radon occurs in nature and is produced by the decay of uranium. Radon atoms also decay, releasing atomic particles. The element itself and some of the elements it decays into are radioactive and can cause disease in humans.
All elements contain protons and neutrons in their nucleus, except hydrogen, which has only one proton. Along with nucleic particles, an element also has electron particles orbiting the nucleus. Elements are classified according to the amount of protons they contain. This number is the atomic number of an element. For example, radon always has 86 protons.
Some elements can vary in the number of neutrons in their nucleus. These are known as isotopes of an element, and each isotope is known by its mass number, which is the amount of protons added to the amount of neutrons. For example, the most common isotope of radon, radon-222, has 86 protons and 136 neutrons in its nucleus. A less common isotope is radon-220.
Elements decay in two ways. They can release two protons and two neutrons, which changes both their atomic number and mass number. This is known as alpha decay and the particles released as a beam are called alpha particles.
Beta decay is when a neutron releases an electron and turns into a proton. The released electron is known as a beta particle. This changes the atomic number because a new proton is present in the element. The mass number does not change.
Radon itself is a decay product of uranium-238. Radon decay occurs through a chain of events, with one element changing into another element. Radioactive elements don’t all decay at once, so scientists use a half-life measurement to monitor the concentrations of each element. A half-life is the time it takes for half of an amount of one element to transform into another element.
For example, radon-222 has a half-life of 3.8 days. After 3.8 days, half of the radon in an area will have released an alpha particle and turned into polonium-238. Polonium-238 has a half-life of only three minutes before it releases an alpha particle and turns into lead-214.
Lead-214, with a half-life of 27 minutes, converts to bismuth-214 by releasing a beta particle. After 20 minutes, half of the bismuth-214 will have turned into polonium-214, releasing another beta particle. The polonium, with a half-life of only 180 seconds, then decays into lead-210 by releasing an alpha particle. Chain elements from radon-222 to lead-210 are short-lived and dangerous because many radioactive particles are released in a short period of time.
Radon decay continues slowly, with lead converting to bismuth-210 over a period of decades. Bismuth then takes a few days to decay into polonium 210. Beta particles are released during these steps in the chain. Finally, the polonium releases an alpha particle and the chain terminates in a stable, non-radioactive isotope of lead-206.
The reason radon decay is dangerous to humans is because the particles that are liberated from the radioactive elements in the chain can cause cancer if ingested or breathed in. Radon is present as a gas in many homes, especially basements, and collects where there is no ventilation. Miners can also be exposed to high levels of the gas. Radon itself comes from uranium-238 which decomposes in soil. The decay chain of radon is therefore only a part of a larger decay chain.
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