1. Measuring Radon in Residential Properties What is radon?
Lesson 1
What is radon?
Connecticut Radon Measurement
Training Program 2006

2. Which characteristics apply to radon?
Measuring Radon in Residential Properties
What is radon?
Which characteristics apply to radon?
Liquid
Gas
Solid
Colorless
Grayish-green
Greenish-blue
Smells like ozone
Has no smell
Has no taste
Tastes metallic
Tastes like chicken
Occurs in nature
Made by humans
Reacts readily chemically
Does not readily react chemically (is inert)
Has a static electrical charge
Has no static electrical charge
Radioactive
Not radioactive
Harmful to human health
Harmless to human health
See handout 1-1
Connecticut Radon Measurement
Training Program 2006

3. Characteristics of radon
Measuring Radon in Residential Properties
What is radon?
Characteristics of radon
Liquid
Gas
Solid
Colorless
Grayish-green
Greenish-blue
Smells like ozone
Has no smell
Has no taste
Tastes metallic
Tastes like chicken
Occurs in nature
Made by humans
Reacts readily chemically
Does not readily react chemically (is inert)
Has a static electrical charge
Has no static electrical charge
Radioactive
Not radioactive
Harmful to human health
Harmless to human health
Connecticut Radon Measurement
Training Program 2006

4. Is there radon in this room?
Why would we care?
Radon is harmful to human health
Leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers
How would we know?
Radon may occur anywhere
Radon has no color, odor, or taste, so we cannot detect with our senses
We can tell only by measuring

5. Background for understanding radioactivity
Simple atom
Nucleus
Protons (+ or positive charge)
Neutrons (no charge)
Electrons (- or negative charge)

6. Radon (Rn) atom Radon is an element: a basic unit of matter
Atomic number =
Number of protons 86
Atomic mass or
mass number =
Number of protons + number of neutrons
Varies

7. Naturally occurring radon isotopes
Measuring Radon in Residential Properties
What is radon?
Naturally occurring radon isotopes
Isotopes: different forms of an element with different atomic masses
Number of protons
Number of neutrons
Atomic mass
Radon-219 86
133
219
Radon-220
134
220
Radon-222
136
222
Connecticut Radon Measurement
Training Program 2006

8. Measuring Radon in Residential Properties
What is radon?
Isotopes
May be stable or unstable
Unstable isotopes (radioactive) decay spontaneously (change to another element) called
Decay products
Progeny
Daughters
During decay, unstable isotopes give off radiation
Radiation = energy emitted as invisible
Particles
Waves
Rays
Connecticut Radon Measurement
Training Program 2006

9. Measuring Radon in Residential Properties
What is radon?
Radon decay series
Radon-222
Polonium-218
Lead-214
Bismuth-214
Source: Graphic image:
Polonium-214
Lead-210
Connecticut Radon Measurement
Training Program 2006

10. Radon and its decay products
Gas
Solid
Chemically inactive
Chemically active
No static electrical charge
Electrically charged
Primary source of cell damage leading to lung cancer

11. Types of radiation released
Measuring Radon in Residential Properties
What is radon?
Types of radiation released
Alpha ()
Beta ()
Gamma ()
Relatively large mass
Relatively small mass
No mass
= 2 protons and
2 neutrons
= 1 electron
= pure energy
(electromagnetic
radiation)
Electrical charge of +2
Electrical charge of -1
No electrical charge
Moves slowly
Moves quickly
Moves at the speed of light
Least penetrating
Moderately penetrating
Most penetrating
Most damaging to human health
Note to trainer: If learners are unfamiliar with the Greek symbols used for the types of radiation, please them point out, as these symbols will be used elsewhere in this training.
Connecticut Radon Measurement
Training Program 2006

12. Radiation released in radon decay
Polonium-218  + 
Lead-214  + 
Bismuth-214  + 
Polonium-214  + 
Lead-210

13. Example: 1-day half-life in imaginary box of atoms

14. Half-life of radon 3.8 days
In 3.8 days
Radon can move from soil, rock, and water into air in a home
People breathe in the radon
As radon decays
It releases radiation
It creates radon decay products, which may remain in lungs and release more radiation as they decay
Note: Radon gas is continually entering a home and decaying

15. Half-lives of radon and its decay products
Radon days
Polonium minutes
Lead minutes
Bismuth minutes
Polonium microseconds
Lead years

16. Summary Radon is an element with these characteristics No color Gas
No smell
No taste
No electrical charge
Gas
Radioactive
Naturally occurring
Does not readily react chemically
Harmful to human health
See handout 1-2

17. Questions?

18. Check your understanding
See handout 1-3