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Related Concept Videos

Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations03:18

Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations

Nuclear chemistry is the study of reactions that involve changes in nuclear structure. The nucleus of an atom is composed of protons and, except for hydrogen, neutrons. The number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number (Z) of the element, and the sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons is the mass number (A). Atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers are isotopes of the same element.
A nuclide of an element has a specific number of protons and...
Nuclear Transmutation03:20

Nuclear Transmutation

Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one nuclide into another. It can occur by the radioactive decay of a nucleus, or the reaction of a nucleus with another particle. The first manmade nucleus was produced in Ernest Rutherford’s laboratory in 1919 by a transmutation reaction, the bombardment of one type of nuclei with other nuclei or with neutrons. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen-14 atoms with high-speed α particles from a natural radioactive isotope of radium and observed protons being...
Isotopes and Radioisotopes01:28

Isotopes and Radioisotopes

In the early 1900s, English chemist Frederick Soddy realized that an element could have atoms with different masses that were chemically indistinguishable. These different types are called isotopes — atoms of the same element that differ in mass. Isotopes differ in mass because they have different numbers of neutrons but are chemically identical because they have the same number of protons. Soddy was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1921 for this discovery.
An isotope containing more...
Nuclear Stability03:18

Nuclear Stability

Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters.
To hold positively charged protons together in the...
Radioactive Decay and Radiometric Dating02:48

Radioactive Decay and Radiometric Dating

Radioactivity is a spontaneous disintegration of an unstable nuclide and is a random process, as all the nuclei in the sample do not decay simultaneously. The number of disintegrations per unit time is called the activity (A), which is directly proportional to the number of nuclei in the sample. The decay constant (λ) is an average probability of decay per nucleus in unit time.
Other Nuclides: 31P, 19F, 15N NMR01:16

Other Nuclides: 31P, 19F, 15N NMR

Many organic, inorganic, and biological molecules contain spin-half nuclei such as nitrogen-15, fluorine-19, and phosphorus-31. As a result, NMR studies of these nuclei have found extensive applications in chemical and biological research.
While fluorine-19 and phosphorous-31 have high natural abundances (100%) and positive gyromagnetic ratios, nitrogen-15 has a low natural abundance and a negative gyromagnetic ratio. However, nitrogen-15 is still preferred over nitrogen-14 (which has a high...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh
10:42

Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh

Published on: May 3, 2019

Why is 220Rn (thoron) measurement important?

S Tokonami1

  • 1Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba-shi, Chiba, Japan.

Radiation Protection Dosimetry
|September 18, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Radon detectors may overestimate lung cancer risk by including thoron signals. This study highlights the importance of measuring thoron concentrations separately from radon to ensure accurate epidemiological risk assessments.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Radiological Protection
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Residential radon (Rn-222) is a known lung carcinogen.
  • Passive detectors are commonly used for radon measurements.
  • Some passive detectors can also detect thoron (Rn-220), leading to combined signals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of thoron detection on radon measurements.
  • To emphasize the necessity of independent thoron measurements in lung cancer risk assessments.
  • To demonstrate the lack of correlation between radon, thoron, and thoron progeny.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized passive radon detectors capable of detecting both radon and thoron.
  • Conducted field and laboratory experiments to analyze detector responses.

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Separation of Uranium and Thorium for 230Th-U Dating of Submarine Hydrothermal Sulfides
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Separation of Uranium and Thorium for 230Th-U Dating of Submarine Hydrothermal Sulfides

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Neutron Radiography and Computed Tomography of Biological Systems at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's High Flux Isotope Reactor
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Neutron Radiography and Computed Tomography of Biological Systems at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's High Flux Isotope Reactor

Published on: May 7, 2021

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Last Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh
10:42

Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh

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Separation of Uranium and Thorium for 230Th-U Dating of Submarine Hydrothermal Sulfides
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Separation of Uranium and Thorium for 230Th-U Dating of Submarine Hydrothermal Sulfides

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Neutron Radiography and Computed Tomography of Biological Systems at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's High Flux Isotope Reactor
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Neutron Radiography and Computed Tomography of Biological Systems at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's High Flux Isotope Reactor

Published on: May 7, 2021

  • Assessed concentrations of radon, thoron, and thoron progeny.

    • Main Results:

    • Observed that certain passive detectors register both radon and thoron signals.
    • Found no correlation between radon, thoron, and thoron progeny concentrations.
    • Demonstrated potential for overestimation of radon levels when thoron is present.

    Conclusions:

    • Thoron detection can bias radon measurements, leading to inaccurate lung cancer risk estimates.
    • Separate measurement of thoron is crucial for reliable epidemiological studies.
    • Accurate radiological protection requires distinct quantification of radon and thoron exposure.