Learn about Radon

When you hear the word 'radon' you probably think of the radioactive gas that can rise up from the soil and collect in basements, presenting a health hazard. The gas is an element, produced as a natural part of the radioactive decay of other elements, such as uranium and radium. One interesting property of radon is that it glows when cold. Radon gas is clear and colorless. The liquid is transparent. The element starts to glow yellow, then orange, then red, as cooled into its opaque solid form at –71°C. The glow is 'Cerenkov radiation', which is light produced as charged subatomic particles interact with their immediate environment. More Radon Facts