Radiation Protection Glossary
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Radon (Gas)
Radon is a naturally occurring Radioactive
gas which is derived from the Uranium
and Thorium decay series. Radon (Rn-222) is a colourless, odourless, dense and chemically un-reactive substances and is the daughter of radium within the above described series. It can be found in houses and workplace, more so where the ground contains Uranium decay series bearing rocks (e.g. granite). Radon is considered a health hazard because it decays to solid daughter products with the emission of Alpha Particles
. For example, Rn-222 decays with a Half-Life
of 3.8 days to Polonium-218, which itself then decays again (with a smaller half life of 3 minuets) by an alpha particle to Lead-218. The decay series continues until stable Lead-206 is formed.
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