Radon

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/radon

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the element symbol?Rn
2. What is the atomic number?86
3. What is radon and why is it invisible?Radon is a naturally occurring gas that comes from the earth's rocks and soil. It has no color, taste, or smell, so we can't see or feel it.
4. How does radon get into our homes?Radon moves through cracks in the ground and can seep into basements and crawl spaces. It can also dissolve into water from springs or wells and then be released when the water is used.

Primordial Radionuclides: Radioactive isotopes that have existed since the formation of the Earth.
Radon Daughters: Short-lived radioactive isotopes produced during the decay of radon.
Sub-slab Depressurization: A radon mitigation technique that removes soil gas from beneath a building's foundation.