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wombatlegs t1_jcbb007 wrote

Do the decay products even form isolated atoms?

When the radon nucleus splits, do its electrons stick with the smaller nucleuses?

I'd have thought they are ions, which would be likely to bind to molecules in the air before collecting enough free electrons to become an atom.

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Hazel-Rah t1_jcbro8r wrote

Radon decays with alpha particles, which are just bare helium nuclei, two neutrons and two protons

So the electrons will tend to stay with the new Po-218 atom, giving it a nice -2 charge, which will encourage it to attach itself to whatever random dust it passes by.

Once the alpha particle slows down, it will pick up some electrons from somewhere eventually too.

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