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Does radium glow in a vacuum?
Does it cause surrounding air to glow, or does its nucleus energize radium own electrons?
2 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
Had to look this up. It looks as though the radioactivity (whatever particle comes from the decay of the radium nucleus) excites electrons in the atoms of either radium or other material mixed with the radium. The atoms then emit visible light. Some light may come from the surrounding air, but air is not very dense and so most of it would come from the radium itself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioluminescence
Edit : Actually, the light might not even come from the radium in "radium paint", but from the material it's mixed with.
- 1 decade ago
Yes it's a breakdown and vacuum will not effect or affect it. It is not oxidizing like iron or such so a lack of air or pressure is mute.
That is why carbon dating is so accurate.
