noun
- Plural of niton; the former name for the chemical element radon (Rn), a radioactive noble gas.
Usage: archaic; chemistry; The term 'niton' was used before 'radon' became the standard IUPAC name in 1923.
Examples
- Early chemists referred to the radioactive gas as nitons before the modern name radon was adopted.
- In historical chemistry texts, you may encounter the term nitons when discussing noble gases.
- The discovery of nitons contributed to the understanding of radioactive decay.
- Nitons was the official name for element 86 during the early 20th century.