Radioactive Change Of Radon
The property of intrinsic luminosity is attribute of radon in all states of aggregation, and is one proof of the energy changes which accompany its disintegration. The depth of the phosphorescence is greatest within the stable - possibly because of the lesser volume occupied - but both the gas and the liquid glow strongly. The colour of the light emitted by the stable varies from metal-blue on the melting-level to orange-red at decrease temperatures. Heat is also given out through the disintegration of the emanation.
The continuous emission of energy can also be shown by the sluggish decomposition of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, hydrochloric acid, and water uncovered to the action of radon. It has also been said that when options of compounds of the elements of the carbon group (silicon, titanium, zirconium, thorium, and lead) are subjected to the action of radon, carbon dioxide is always produced. This suggests a chance that there may be a breaking-down of the molecules of those components with formation of carbon, the bottom member of the series. Radon will cause the oxidation of wet mercury, and turns peculiar white glass violet.
It was at one time supposed that a change of copper into lithium and of water into neon had been noticed, however the validity of these observations is significantly open to question.
For one or days after its isolation radon undergoes a gradual contraction to about one-half its unique volume; afterwards it slowly expands to about three to 3.5 instances the original volume. This change corresponds to a change in the spectrum, that of radon disappearing fully after 3-4 days, and giving place to that of helium.
The cause of the contraction is obscure, but it surely has been noticed in every pattern hitherto prepared, and is, maybe, because of impurities. The sluggish expansion which takes place afterwards may be satisfactorily defined on the hypothesis that the α-particles given out during the radioactive change of the radon have such a high velocity that they're pressured into the partitions of the containing vessel and are only developed again fairly slowly. It has been discovered that if radon is confined in a glass tube the partitions of which have a thickness less than the range of its a-particles in glass, an accumulation of helium can be observed in the outer space. This supports the previous explanation of the slow improve in volume, and further proves conclusively the identification of the helium atom with the α-particle. The interval of half-change of Radon Delete is 3.75 days.
It could be talked about right here that the evolution of helium from radium was first proved by Ramsay and Soddy, and confirmed by Himstedt and Meyer: the statement that the radioactive elements are parts undergoing decomposition was first made by Geoffrey Martin. Assuming that 5 α-particles are expelled through the complete disintegration of one atom of radium, the volume of helium produced per day from 1 gram of radium should be 0.439 cu. mm. at N.T.P.: experimental determinations of the amount have given figures in good agreement with this result. Since then its production during many other radioactive adjustments has been observed.
