[DoctorOetker]

> Radon was mentioned on the project website, yes technically radon decay products are detectable but pracfically a Geiger tube is reacting only to terrestrial, cosmic, and other sources of radiation, not anything to do with radon.

To measure radon (say in a cellar), you'd typically take some dust filter or filter foam, attach it to a fan and circulate the cellar air through the filter, then the radioactive dust collects in the filter, and one can measure higher doses more easily.

[BetterGeiger]

If you want to actually measure radon concentration quantitatively what you are describing is not the way. Typically devices simply measure alpha count rates coming from air, radon diffuses very effectively and no filtering or extra flow is necessary. Your technique would show "hey look there is a little bit of something radioactive here" but would be very difficult to turn into a concentration without a lot of extra complicated steps.

[DoctorOetker]

The relevance of the fan with filter is that it is analogous to your lungs which can also trap radioactive particles, like radon, causing say lung cancer.

[BetterGeiger]

Practically every radon measuring device on the market does it the way I described because of the reasons I described.

[DoctorOetker]

ah you are right, I mixed up, been awake for 2 days straight... I think it was one of the decay products or parent isotopes being trapped

[BetterGeiger]

No worries, I hope you can get some rest :)

[java-man]

Radon is a gas.

[gblargg]

Yes, radon is a gas. Why did you bring this up? Were you implying that dust collection couldn't work? I can see why you might think that if you didn't understand that Radon is radioactive and has a short half-life (3.8 days).

> Most short term radon tests will use activated charcoal to absorb the radon gas in the air. Various short terms tests kits will include some type container filled with activated charcoal, usually perforated or screened and has a filter to keep out radon decay products. At the end of testing, the absorber is resealed and returned to the vendor for processing and evaluation.

> When radon undergoes radioactive breakdown, it decays into other radioactive elements called radon daughters (or progeny). Radon daughters are solids, not gases, and stick to surfaces such as dust particles in the air. Dust particles carrying radon daughters can move with air.