Difference Between Radon and Radium

Radon and Radium are two elements in the periodic table that are often associated with each other due to their similar properties and radioactive nature. However, there are several differences between the two elements, including their physical and chemical properties, occurrence in nature, and health effects.

What is Radon?

Radon is a radioactive gas that is a byproduct of the decay of radium. It is part of the decay series in which uranium decays into multiple elements until reaching the stable element, lead. Radon decays into polonium and alpha particles. The longest-lived isotope of radon is radon-222 which has a half-life of 3.8 days.

Discovery of Radon

Radon was first detected in 1899 by Pierre and Marie Curie as a gas being released by the decay of radium. At the same time, the physicist Ernst Rutherford discovered a radioactive gas being released by thorium in his experiments. In 1900, it was officially discovered by Friedrich Ernst Dorn a scientist in Halle, Germany.

Impact on Health

Since its discovery, it has been found to be a major health hazard. It is strongly associated with occurrences of lung cancer. Radon is inhaled by those exposed to it. The abundance of radon depends on the local geology including the abundance of uranium or thorium in the soil. As radon is inhaled, it also decays into polonium, another radioactive element, which can increase the amount of radioactive material in the body. This can result in the production of cancerous cells.

While radon can be related to causing cancer, it has also been used in the past to treat cancer. In the 20th century, radon gas would be injected into tumors and cancerous cells to destroy them. Although radon is short-lived, it is common enough that it makes up a noticeable part of the background radiation of Earth.

Impacts on the History of Life on Earth

Because of this, it has been suggested that it may have played an important role in evolution because of the mutagenic effects of the radioactive gas. Regions with higher radon content in the country rock may have led to more mutations in the local plant, animal, and microbial life, leading to more mutations and thus more evolution among those populations.

What is Radium?

Radium is a metal that is part of the uranium-lead decay series. It is known to be highly radioactive. It was first discovered in 1898 by Pierre and Marie Curie in an ore of uranium. They identified the element because it had the capacity to glow. The metal in its pure form was first produced in 1911 by Marie Curie and one of her colleagues. The name of the element comes from the Latin word for “ray,” referring to its radioactivity.

Properties of Radium

Radium is a silvery, soft metal. It can glow in the dark in its pure form because of its radioactivity. It is also the 84th most common element in Earth’s crust, having an abundance of one part per trillion. It is also the heaviest of the alkaline earth metals and can combine with most nonmetals including nitrogen and oxygen to create rare molecules. The isotope of radium with the longest half-life is radium-226 which has a half-life of about 1600 years.

Uses of Radium

Radium, because it can glow was once used to make luminous paints. For example, it was once used on clocks that were designed to be visible in the dark and was even used in toothpaste. This was before it was discovered to be highly radioactive. In some cases, radium has been used to treat prostate cancer that has spread to bone tissue. This is because of the similarity between radium and calcium and the fact that bones contain calcium.

Health Hazards

The degree of radioactivity in the element radium is demonstrated by the fact that Marie Curie’s notebooks that she used to study radium are still too radioactive to be safely handled. Because of this, radium can easily increase the occurrence of cancer, blood problems such as anemia, eye problems such as cataracts, and dental problems.

Workers likely to experience more exposure to radium include miners, particularly uranium miners. Water from wells and air near factories using fossil fuels also have higher amounts of radium. Because of the abundance of radium in Earth’s crust, humans and other life forms are constantly exposed to non-harmful levels of radiation from the element.

Similarities: Radon and Radium

They are both radioactive and they are both ultimately products of the decay of uranium to lead. They are also both known to be cancer-causing but have also been used to treat cancer. Life on Earth is also exposed to constant, non-harmful levels of radiation from radium and radon because of the relative abundance of both elements in the crust.

Differences: Radon and Radium

Now let's compare and contrast the different features of Radon and Radium.

Physical and Chemical Properties

Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas with the chemical symbol Rn and atomic number 86. It is a member of the noble gas group and is highly radioactive, with a half-life of only 3.8 days. Radon is also highly reactive and can form compounds with other elements, but these compounds are generally unstable and short-lived.

On the other hand, Radium is a silvery-white metal with the chemical symbol Ra and atomic number 88. It is a highly reactive element and is found in nature as a result of the decay of uranium and thorium. Radium is also highly radioactive, with a half-life of 1600 years. Unlike radon, radium is capable of forming stable compounds with other elements, although these compounds are highly toxic and can pose a significant health risk.

Occurrence in Nature

Radon is a naturally occurring gas that is produced by the decay of uranium and thorium in the Earth's crust. It is found in soil, rock, and water, and can seep into homes and other buildings through cracks and other openings. Radon levels can vary widely depending on the location, geology, and other factors, and it is estimated that exposure to radon is responsible for over 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States alone.

Radium is also a naturally occurring element that is found in trace amounts in the Earth's crust. It is primarily produced by the decay of uranium and thorium, and can be found in soil, rocks, and minerals such as pitchblende and carnotite. Radium was once used extensively in medical treatments and consumer products such as luminous watches and clocks, but its use has been largely discontinued due to its radioactive and toxic nature.

Health Effects

Both radon and radium are highly radioactive and can pose significant health risks to those exposed to them. Radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, and is responsible for over 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States alone. Radon is a gas that can seep into homes and other buildings through cracks and other openings, and exposure can occur through inhalation of the gas and its decay products.

Radium exposure can also be harmful, and can lead to various health effects such as bone cancer, leukemia, and other forms of cancer. Radium is primarily harmful when ingested or inhaled, and can accumulate in the bones over time. Radium was once used in medical treatments and consumer products such as luminous watches and clocks, but its use has been largely discontinued due to its radioactive and toxic nature.

The following table highlights the major differences between Radon and Radium −

Characteristics	Radon	Radium
State of matter at room tempertaure	Radium is a solid at room temperature.	Radon is a gas at room temperature.
Half-life	The longest-lived isotope of Radium has a half-life of 1600 years.	The longest-lived isotope of radon has a half-life of only 3.8 days.
Atomic number	The atomic number of radium is 88.	The atomic number of radon is 86.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while radon and radium are both highly radioactive elements that can pose significant health risks, there are several differences between the two elements. Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is primarily responsible for lung cancer deaths, while radium is a silvery-white metal that can accumulate in the bones and lead to various forms of cancer.

Both elements occur naturally in the Earth's crust and can be found in soil, rock, and water, but exposure to these elements should be minimized to reduce the risk of health effects.