Azalin Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Same w/the question about which element is 16. Has to be sulphur, "yellow cyrstalline" structure gave it it away. Radon being the heaviest noble gas was a no brainer too. I got both of those right without any knowledge of chemistry at all. I'm not sure where I learned about brimstone being sulphur, and I remember when there was a big scare about Radon gas in peoples' homes suffocating them in their sleep, so I knew that it was heavier than air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 I got both of those right without any knowledge of chemistry at all. I'm not sure where I learned about brimstone being sulphur, and I remember when there was a big scare about Radon gas in peoples' homes suffocating them in their sleep, so I knew that it was heavier than air. Biblical? Brimstone that is? Oh... As you all know... That was me that was suffocated in my sleep! DCTom will back that story up. (Beat you to it Tom). :-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 I got both of those right without any knowledge of chemistry at all. I'm not sure where I learned about brimstone being sulphur, and I remember when there was a big scare about Radon gas in peoples' homes suffocating them in their sleep, so I knew that it was heavier than air. The big scare about radon was that it's radioactive (a product of uranium decay), and can seep into people's basements from underground. And as an alpha-emitter, it's not very dangerous unless it's inhaled....of course, radon being a gas... It's actually among the largest sources of radiation exposure in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacka Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Radon exposure varies depending on the bedrock. It is an element and does not depend on man-made causes. It depends on how much uranium ore is in the bedrock. Since the gas is the heaviest gas, it is tested only on the first floor or basement level (if the building has a basement). Here is an EPA site that gives you a rough county by county assessment of the potential exposure, http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html There are three "levels" that radon exposure is classified at. Zone 1 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) Zone 2 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L Zone 3 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Iowa is all zone 1 , while most of Texas is Zone 2 or 3. Hawaii is zone 3. Testing is done by placing an activated charcoal canister exposed to air in the lowest floor for 48-96 hours and then analyzed for radon. If exposure is greater than 4 pCi/L, the remediation necessary is to increase the ventilation in that area. I do testing as part of my job in residential buildings (usually only FreddieMac locations). Commercial locations do not need to be tested.I have not found any readings higher than 2.0 p/Ci in California. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Radon exposure varies depending on the bedrock. It is an element and does not depend on man-made causes. It depends on how much uranium ore is in the bedrock. Since the gas is the heaviest gas, it is tested only on the first floor or basement level (if the building has a basement). Here is an EPA site that gives you a rough county by county assessment of the potential exposure, http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html There are three "levels" that radon exposure is classified at. Zone 1 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) Zone 2 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L Zone 3 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Iowa is all zone 1 , while most of Texas is Zone 2 or 3. Hawaii is zone 3. Testing is done by placing an activated charcoal canister exposed to air in the lowest floor for 48-96 hours and then analyzed for radon. If exposure is greater than 4 pCi/L, the remediation necessary is to increase the ventilation in that area. I do testing as part of my job in residential buildings (usually only FreddieMac locations). Commercial locations do not need to be tested.I have not found any readings higher than 2.0 p/Ci in California. My last house had a radon mitigation system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 (edited) Radon exposure varies depending on the bedrock. It is an element and does not depend on man-made causes. It depends on how much uranium ore is in the bedrock. Since the gas is the heaviest gas, it is tested only on the first floor or basement level (if the building has a basement). Here is an EPA site that gives you a rough county by county assessment of the potential exposure, http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html There are three "levels" that radon exposure is classified at. Zone 1 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) Zone 2 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L Zone 3 counties have a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Iowa is all zone 1 , while most of Texas is Zone 2 or 3. Hawaii is zone 3. Testing is done by placing an activated charcoal canister exposed to air in the lowest floor for 48-96 hours and then analyzed for radon. If exposure is greater than 4 pCi/L, the remediation necessary is to increase the ventilation in that area. I do testing as part of my job in residential buildings (usually only FreddieMac locations). Commercial locations do not need to be tested.I have not found any readings higher than 2.0 p/Ci in California. Thanks Wacka! EDIT: It appears all of North Dakota is Zone 1 also. A state that appears all Zone 3 is Louisiana. Edited January 23, 2014 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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