answersLogoWhite

0

Radon is an invisible tasteless odorless gas, a very subtle and hard to detect substance, so its "discovery" occurred over a period of years and the credit could go to a number of scientists. Here is a list in chronological order:

1899 - Robert Bowie Owens discovers alpha rays and a radioactive gas that he calls Thoron, which is actually what we now call Radon - at University of Nebraska, USA.

1899 - Ernest Rutherford discovers alpha rays coming from the air, but is not able to determine exactly what gas it is in the air that is producing them - McGill University, Canada

1900 - Friedrich Ernst Dorn discovers that radium gives off a radioactive gas that he calls Niton, which is actually what we now call Radon - in Germany.

1903 - Andre Louis Debierne discovers a radioactive gas that he calls Actinon, which is actually what we now call Radon - in France.

1903 - Sir William Ramsay is able to determine the atomic weight of the radioactive gas that everyone has been "discovering" and to determine its place in the Periodic Table of elements, under Xenon - University College, England.

At about this time, scientists decide to name it Radon and give it the chemical symbol Rn.

So pick your "discoverer" and his country. I would go with Ramsay and England, since I believe that we haven't really discovered something until we know what it is that we've got.

You can surf the Web and find the "discovery" credited to each of these men.

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

Minerals found in Japan?

The minerals that are found in Japan include sulfur, coal, lead, limestone, and zinc. There are not very many mineral deposits in the country.


What country was lead discovered in?

It is not known what country made the discovery of lead. Some of the oldest finds of lead were found in Turkey as far back as 6400 BC. That was a string of beads. Lead has been used in the making of different types of ammunition for thousands of years.


Where can you find the mineral Galena in Mexico?

Galena (lead sulfide) is commonly found in silver-producing regions. In Mexico, the northern states of Zacatecas, Chihuahua and Durango are home to the largest mines of silver and lead found in that country, with 68% of the national production.


Where in Australia is lead found?

Lead is found in the western parts of Australia. Lead is mined as ore which contains zinc and silver.


What country did Roosevelt lead?

he lead booty land


In which country is atlas found?

In which country is atlas found


What can sectionalism lead to in a country?

Sectionalism can lead to separatism in a country. Sectionalism is one's loyalty to the interest of one's region of a country, rather than the whole country.


What state is lead found in?

According to Biologists, natural lead can be found in every state because it is a part of the environment. Elements of lead can be found in water, soil and air.


Is lead found pure?

Lead is rarely found in its pure form in nature. It is typically found in combination with other elements, such as lead sulfide (galena) or lead carbonate. Lead ore must be processed to extract the lead metal from these compounds.


Is lead naturally found in Montana?

Yes, several lead ores are found in Montana. Metallic lead is not found naturally anywhere in the world, it must be extracted from ore in a smelter.


What country can petroleum be found?

petroleum can be found in any country.


What is the name of country where snake is not found?

in which country snake are not found?