Chapter 10 Nuclear Radiation

10.3 Radiation Measurement 10.4 Half-Life of a Radioisotope 10.5 Medical Applications Using Radioactivity

Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Benjamin Cummings

Radiation Measurement
A Geiger counter detects beta and gamma radiation. uses ions produced by radiation to create an electrical current.

Detecting Radiation
A Geiger-Mller counter

Geiger-Mller counter with radioactive antique orange plate

Radiation Units
Units of radiation include Curie - measures activity as the number of atoms that decay in one second. rad (radiation absorbed dose) - measures the radiation absorbed by the tissues of the body. rem (radiation equivalent) - measures the biological damage caused by different types of radiation.

Units of Radiation Measurement

Exposure to Radiation
Exposure to radiation occurs from naturally occurring radioisotopes. medical and dental procedures. air travel, radon, and smoking cigarettes.
TABLE 9.6

Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Benjamin Cummings

Half-Life
The half-life of a radioisotope is the time for the radiation level to decrease (decay) to one-half of the original value.

Decay Curve
A decay curve shows the decay of radioactive atoms and the remaining radioactive sample.

Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Benjamin Cummings

Half-Lives of Some Radioisotopes

Radioisotopes that are naturally occurring tend to have long half-lives. used in nuclear medicine have short half-lives. Half-Lives of Some Radioisotopes Radioisotope Half-life
Naturally Occurring

C 40 K 226 Ra 238 U
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5730 yr 1.3 x 109 yr 1600 yr 4.5 x 109 yr 28 8 46 6.0 days days days hr
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Medical Uses

Cr 131 I 59 Fe 99m Tc
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Half-Life Calculations
In one half-life, 40 mg of a radioisotope decays to 20 mg. After two half-lives, 10 mg of radioisotope remain. 40 mg x 1 x 1 = 10 mg 2 2

Initial 40 mg

1 half-life 20 mg

2 half-lives

10 mg
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Learning Check
The half life of 123I is 13 hr. How much of a 64 mg sample of 123I is left after 26 hours? 1) 32 mg 2) 16 mg 3) 8 mg

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Solution
2) 16 mg STEP 1 Given 64 g; 26 hr; 13 hr/half-life STEP 2 Plan 26 hours
Half-life

Number of half-lives

STEP 3 Equalities 1 half-life = 13 hr STEP 4 Set Up Problem Number of half-lives = 26 hr x 1 half-life = 2 half-lives 13 hr
13 hr 13 hr

64 mg

32 mg

16 mg
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Radioactive Decay (cont)

a. Radioactive Dating 1. The radioactive decay of carbon-14 can be used to estimate the age of organic materials. Types of Carbon Isotopes
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C12

C13

C14

Mass number = # protons + # neutrons

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The process of Carbon-14 Dating

The Shroud of Turin

Reputed as the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. C-14 dating by 3 independent labs report the Cloth originated during the Medieval times, between A.D. 1260-1390.

Credit: The Image Works

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Mummified remains found frozen in the Italian Alps

At least 5000 years old By carbon-14 dating

Credit: Landov

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Medical Applications
Radioisotopes with short half-lives are used in nuclear medicine because they have the same chemistry in the body as the nonradioactive atoms. in the organs of the body, they give off radiation that exposes a photographic plate (scan) giving an image of an organ.

Thyroid scan

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Some Radioisotopes Used in Nuclear Medicine

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Learning Check
Which of the following radioisotopes are most likely to be used in nuclear medicine? 1) 2) 3) K half-life 1.3 x 109 years 42 K half-life 12 hours 131 I half-life 8 days
40

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Solution
Which of the following radioisotopes are most likely to be used in nuclear medicine? Radioisotopes with short half-lives are used in nuclear medicine. 2) 3) K half-life 12 hours 131 I half-life 8 days
42

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