Transcript Benefits & Dangers of: Radioisotopes

TOPIC: Benefits & Dangers of:
Radioisotopes
Do Now:
Draw Bohrs Model for the
Cl-35 isotope
RADIOISOTOPE
- isotopes who’s nucleus is
unstable and dissipate excess
energy by spontaneously
emitting radioactive particles
(we will learn about these next
week)
Carbon-14
Carbon Dating
Not that
kind of
dating?!
C-14 used to date organic
(previously living) materials
U-238 decay series
U-238 decays to Pb-206 (many steps)
Over time, amount of U  and amount of
Pb 
–Scientists use the ratio of U-238
to Pb-206 to date rocks
Radioactive Tracers
Determine the way in which a chemical
reaction occur
– P-31: determines P uptake in plants
– C-14: maps C in metabolic processes
– C-14: maps organic molecules and figures out
reaction mechanisms
Used to track the distribution of a
substance in cells/tissues in the body
Medical
radioisotopes with short half-lives (quickly
eliminated from the body)
– Tracers in medical diagnosis
– Treatment of cancer
I-131: Diagnosis & treat thyroid disorders
Co-60: gamma emitter
– Used to kill cancerous tumors
Tc-99: treatment of brain cancer
Industrial Applications
Kill bacteria and spores in food and mail
Co-60: kills bacteria in foods
l
Power Plants
Used as a fuel source to generate electricity
No contributions to greenhouse gases
Radiation Risks
Can damage normal tissue
High doses can cause illness & death
Can cause mutations in DNA
Disposal of waste is difficult (esp. from
nuclear power plants)
Have long half-lives and remain radioactive
for long periods of time
Chernobyl