how was radon discovered
Radon was discovered by Friedrich Ernst Dorn, a German chemist, in 1900 while studying radium 's decay chain. Originally named niton after the Latin word for shining, nitens, radon has been known as radon since 1923. Today, radon is still primarily obtained through the decay of radium.
Word origin: The word radon is derived from radium, of which radon is a gas. Early in its discovery it was also called radium emanation and niton, which comes from the Latin nitens, meaning shining. Since 1923, however, it has been called radon. Discovery: German physicist Friedrich Ernst Dorn discovered radon in 1900.