Re: Radon class demo

[Bernard L Cohen <blc+@pitt.edu>]

On Tue, 28 Sep 1999 Alex_S_Tsela/CNS1@cns.co.za wrote:
> 
>  I am however, not sure of a suggestion by one radsafer that radon in
> positively charged and hence it will also be attracted.  I was not of the
> impression that radon is positively charged, may be I am learning something
> here, I sure somebody out there can assist me.

	When an atom decays by emission of an alpha particle, many of its
orbital electrons are knocked out, leaving the atom positively charged for
a short time. But this is irrelevant because nearly all the radon progeny
attach to dust particles which are not electrically charged (unless there
is an ion generator or electrostatic precipitator in the neighborhood.
Collecting dust by pumping air thru a filter is a very widely used
technique (in air pollution studies, for example).

> 
Bernard L. Cohen
Physics Dept.
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Tel: (412)624-9245
Fax: (412)624-9163
e-mail: blc+@pitt.edu


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