How can a radioactive nuclide be used to show that the equilibrium:
is a dynamic equilibrium?
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Chemistry 2e · 21.5 Uses of Radioisotopes
Uses of Radioisotopes: practice problems
2 problems from the book, with its answers. Check your working, or have any of them explained to you on the whiteboard.
Exercises 57
Iodine that enters the body is stored in the thyroid gland from which it is released to control growth and metabolism. The thyroid can be imaged if iodine-131 is injected into the body. In larger doses, I-133 is also used as a means of treating cancer of the thyroid. I-131 has a half-life of 8.70 days and decays by β⁻ emission.
(a) Write an equation for the decay.
(b) How long will it take for 95.0% of a dose of I-131 to decay?
Key terms · 5
- chemotherapy
- similar to internal radiation therapy, but chemical rather than radioactive substances are introduced into the body to kill cancer cells
- external beam radiation therapy
- radiation delivered by a machine outside the body
- internal radiation therapy
- (also, brachytherapy) radiation from a radioactive substance introduced into the body to kill cancer cells
- radiation therapy
- use of high-energy radiation to damage the DNA of cancer cells, which kills them or keeps them from dividing
- radioactive tracer
- (also, radioactive label) radioisotope used to track or follow a substance by monitoring its radioactive emissions
Learn 21.5 on the whiteboard
The tutor teaches the whole section, drawing it out step by step and answering your questions as you go.