notanomnom
Harmless
Posts: 1
Registered: 31-7-2019
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Capturing radon to observe decay
I'm new here and I just wanted some feedback on an idea I had earlier. I live in new england and plenty of buildings have issues with radon, I figured
that since it's readily available to me, it might be interesting to observe its decay. (well, maybe not that interesting, but still). Will I have to
worry about safety? Not involving the radon gas capture, but with the radon decay
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Ubya
International Hazard
Posts: 1247
Registered: 23-11-2017
Location: Rome-Italy
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Mood: I'm a maddo scientisto!!!
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Many homes have rocks emanating radon, you will not be able to catch enough to harm you. Old houses here in Rome are made of tuff, my home is too
(made more than 90 years ago), I cough the decay products of radon in my bedroom using a balloon. Charge electrostatic ally the balloon and just let
it sit In an area you know has radon, the decay products are solid so they will stick to the balloon. After a few hours pop the balloon and test it
for radioactivity, or study the decay curve.
From a 3 hours exposure my balloon measured 3-4 microsieverts/Hr, and quickly decayed to background in an afternoon if I remember correctly(background
in my home is 0.35-0.5 microsieverts/Hr)
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feel free to correct my grammar, or any mistakes i make
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annaandherdad
Hazard to Others
Posts: 387
Registered: 17-9-2011
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Check out a video on youtube by bionerd23, a German woman who makes videos about radioactivity. She has one in which radon from thorium decays in a
cloud chamber. It is amazing to see, there is a double alpha decay.
This is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Efgy1bV2aQo
[Edited on 27-10-2019 by annaandherdad]
Any other SF Bay chemists?
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