Isotopes

are atoms of an element with the same number of protons but different number of neutrons

Isotopes

of particular element have the same chemical properties because they have the same number of electron
physical properties are different because they have different number of neutrons

Their

 Radioactive Some

isotopes are called radioisotopes

radioisotopes exist naturally

Others

are produced artificially by transmutation in a nuclear reactor

 Producing

artificial radioisotopes
A stable nucleus is bombarded by high speed alpha particles, neutron, or proton to produce artificial radioisotopes

The bombarding particles are trapped in the nucleus creating a radioactive isotopes

 Properties

of radioisotopes
Can kill cells

Emits radioactive radiation

Have different penetrating ability with materials with different thickness and densities

Can cause cell mutation

Can ionise molecules

Its activity decreases with time

Have the same chemical properties as non-radioactive isotopes of the same element

 Applications

of radioisotopes in different field

1 . Medicine
Used

in the diagnosis of certain diseases

Radioactive

iodine is used to treat overactive thyroid gland and certain kinds of thyroid cancer

Brain

tumour can be detected and treated by using phosphorus-32

 Iron-59

is a suitable tracer to study the circulation of iron in blood radioisotope Caesium-137 is used to destroy cancerous tissue is injected into the bloodstream to detect the position of blood clots or thrombosis in the blood vessel

The

Sodium-24

2 . Industries
Thickness For

of materials must be controlled

sheets of metals, gamma rays are used, while for plastics, clothes and paper, beta particles are used

Testing

for leakage of underground pipes can be done by adding sodium-24 into the water in the storage tank

source of gamma rays can be used to take photographs of metals to reveal cracks rays kill germs that cause food to spoil

Gamma

quickly
When

latex is exposed to gamma rays, it becomes harder without the need for adding sulphur

3 . Agriculture
Pest

can be killed using radioactive rays especially gamma rays population of pests can be controlled by exposing them to a low dosage of gamma rays which can induce mutation and stops them from reproducing

The

 Radioisotopes

such as nitrogen-15 and phosphorus-32 can be used as tracers in the study of effectiveness of fertilisers

Radioactive

radiation is also used to induce genetic mutation in a plant in order to produce a better strain which has a higher resistance against diseases

4 . Archaeology
Carbon

dating is used to determine the age of artefacts age of the rock can be inferred from the relative proportions of lead and uranium in the rock

The