What are radioisotopes? Give two examples. Describe two uses of radioisotopes in medicine, industry, and research.

Radioisotopes are isotopes of elements that are unstable and decay over time, emitting radiation in the process. This radiation can be in the form of alpha, beta, or gamma rays. Because of their ability to emit radiation, radioisotopes have several applications in medicine, industry, and research.

Examples of Radioisotopes:

  1. Iodine-131: Used in medical treatments and diagnostics, especially in thyroid conditions.
  2. Cobalt-60: Commonly used in cancer treatment and industrial applications.

Uses of Radioisotopes:

In Medicine:

  1. Cancer Treatment (Radiotherapy): Radioisotopes like Cobalt-60 and Iridium-192 are used in radiotherapy to target and destroy cancer cells.
  2. Diagnostic Imaging: Radioisotopes such as Technetium-99m are used in medical imaging (like PET scans) to detect various health conditions, including tumors and heart diseases.

In Industry:

  1. Radiation Sterilization: Radioisotopes such as Cobalt-60 are used to sterilize medical equipment, food products, and even packaging materials by killing bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
  2. Thickness Gauging: Radioisotopes like Americium-241 are used in industrial processes to measure the thickness of materials in manufacturing, such as paper, metals, or plastics.

In Research:

  1. Tracing and Labeling: Radioisotopes like Carbon-14 are used in biochemical research to trace the movement of substances in living organisms or to study metabolic processes.
  2. Dating Fossils and Archaeological Artifacts: Carbon-14 is also used in radiocarbon dating to estimate the age of organic materials, such as fossils, bones, and artifacts.

These applications harness the unique properties of radioisotopes to solve complex problems in various fields.

Related Questions:

  1. When a uranium nucleus absorbs a slow neutron, it subsequently emits two α-particles. What is the resulting element?
  2. Define atomic number, atomic mass number, and nucleon number. How is an atom represented symbolically? Find the number of protons, neutrons, atomic number, atomic mass number, and nucleon number from X. Which element is this?
  3. Define isotope. What are the different isotopes of hydrogen?
  4. What is meant by background radiation? What are different sources of background radiation?
  5. What is radioactivity? Who discovered it? What do you mean by parent nuclide and daughter nuclide? What are the three basic radioactive decay processes, and how do they differ?
  6. What is nuclear transmutation or nuclear decay? What are three basic radioactive decay processes, and how do they differ? Give examples.
  7. Numerical Problems of Chapter 18: Radioactivity
  8. What is common in isotopes of an element and what is different in them?
  9. It happens that a nuclear radiation emits from an atom of an element, and it moves one step ahead in the periodic table. Explain.
  10. Why do nuclei of atoms with atomic numbers greater than 82 emit radiation?
  11. β-particle is emitted from the neutron of the nucleus. Write the nuclear equation for this reaction.
  12. Why is the range of β-particles greater than α-particles in air with the same energy?
  13. Why is the ionization power of α-particles greater than β-particles in solids with the same energy?
  14. What fraction of a radioactive element will be left after 4 half-lives have elapsed?
  15. Why is energy released when lighter nuclei fuse with heavier nuclei?
  16. How long will a radioactive element take to decay completely?
  17. What is half-life? Derive the formula for the number of un-decayed atoms. Draw a graph for decaying atoms with time.
  18. Physics 10 MCQ
  19. Simple harmonic motion and waves
  20. Simple harmonic motion and waves-NFE