Radon (Rn)
Radon is a radioactive noble gas that seeps from the ground and can accumulate in buildings. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer.
Properties of Radon
- Atomic number
- 86
- Category
- Noble Gas
- Atomic mass
- 222 u
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p⁶
- Melting point
- 202 K (-71.15 °C)
- Boiling point
- 211.5 K (-61.65 °C)
- Density
- 0.00973 g/cm³
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 2.2
- Appearance
- Colorless radioactive gas
- Discovered by
- Friedrich Ernst Dorn (1900)
Facts about Radon
- Radon is the heaviest gas and it seeps up from underground rocks!
- Many homes have radon detectors to check for this invisible gas!
- Radon glows yellow in very cold temperatures and turns orange-red as it's cooled further!
- Radon is naturally produced by the decay of uranium in rocks and soil!