What Are The Properties Of Cobalt-60?

Properties of Cobalt-60 Cobalt 60 half-life is 5.2713 years which is one of its main advantages being a high-intensity gamma-ray emitter. It has the longest half-life among all the Cobalt isotopes. Isotopes: Isotopes are elements with the same number of protons but they differ in the number of neutrons.

What are properties of cobalt?

Properties Of Cobalt

• It is a hard ferromagnetic, silver-white, lustrous, brittle element.
• It is stable in air and does not react with water.
• Like other metals, it can also be magnetized.
• With dilute acids, it reacts slowly.
• The metal melts at 1495 °C and boils at 2927 °C.

What happens if you touch cobalt-60?

Because it decays by gamma radiation, external exposure to large sources of Co-60 can cause skin burns, acute radiation sickness, or death. Most Co-60 that is ingested is excreted in the feces; however, a small amount is absorbed by the liver, kidneys, and bones.

What are the benefits of cobalt-60?

The advantages of Co/sup 60/ therapy over conventional x-ray therapy, stemming from the fact that in the lst instance energy absorption within the tissues is by the Compton effect and in the 2nd case by the photoelectric effect, are: (1) increased skin tolerance, (2) reduced bone absorption, (3) increase in depth dose,

Is cobalt-60 stable or unstable?

Naturally occurring cobalt (₂₇Co) consists of a single stable isotope, ⁵⁹Co. Twenty-eight radioisotopes have been characterized; the most stable are ⁶⁰Co with a half-life of 5.2714 years, ⁵⁷Co (271.8 days), ⁵⁶Co (77.27 days), and ⁵⁸Co (70.86 days).

What are 4 uses of cobalt?

Cobalt is also used to make airbags in automobiles; catalysts for the petroleum and chemical industries; cemented carbides (also called hardmetals) and diamond tools; corrosion- and wear-resistant alloys; drying agents for paints, varnishes, and inks; dyes and pigments; ground coats for porcelain enamels; high-speed

What are 3 things cobalt is used for?

Uses of Cobalt
Cobalt is used in alloys for aircraft engine parts and in alloys with corrosion/wear resistant uses. Cobalt is widely used in batteries and in electroplating. Cobalt salts are used to impart blue and green colors in glass and ceramics.

How poisonous is cobalt?

It can harm the eyes, skin, heart, and lungs. Exposure to cobalt may cause cancer. Workers may be harmed from exposure to cobalt and cobalt-containing products.

Is cobalt-60 flammable?

FIRE HAZARDS
* Cobalt is not combustible when in solid or bulk form. However, finely divided Cobalt is FLAMMABLE and will ignite spontaneously in air. * Use dolomite, sand, soda ash, dry powder or graphite powder for extinguishing a powdered metal fire.

Where is cobalt-60 used?

Cobalt-60 is used as a radiation source in many common industrial applications, such as in leveling devices and thickness gauges. It is also used for radiation therapy in hospitals. Accidental exposures may occur as the result of loss or improper disposal of medical and industrial radiation sources.

Why is cobalt important to humans?

Cobalt is a naturally occurring element in the earth’s crust. It is a very small part of our environment. Cobalt is a component of vitamin B12, which supports the production of red blood cells. Very small amounts are needed for animals and humans to stay healthy.

Is cobalt good for skin?

Skin exposure to nickel, cobalt, and chromium may cause sensitization and allergic contact dermatitis and it is known that many alloys and platings may release significant amounts of the metals upon contact with skin.

Is cobalt-60 stable or radioactive?

radioactive
cobalt-60, radioactive isotope of cobalt used in industry and medicine. Cobalt-60 is the longest-lived radioactive isotope of cobalt, with a half-life of 5.27 years. It is produced by irradiating the stable isotope cobalt-59 with neutrons in a nuclear reactor.

Is cobalt-60 harmful to the environment?

Although cobalt is an essential trace element, it is toxic when concentration levels are too high. Protection criteria based on cobalt ecotoxicity data have been defined for the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Its radiotoxicity is also known for these environments. Cobalt is a grey, lustrous, ferromagnetic metal.

Why is cobalt-60 so radioactive?

Cobalt-60 decays by beta and gamma emission to non-radioactive nickel. Most of the radiation from the decay of cobalt- 60 is in the form of gamma emissions; some is in the form of beta particles. Beta particles are generally absorbed in the skin and do not pass through the entire body.

What is the most unstable metal?

francium
While it occurs naturally in uranium minerals, there is probably less than an ounce of francium at any time in the total crust of the earth. It has the highest equivalent weight of any element, and is the most unstable of the first 101 elements of the periodic system. Thirty-three isotopes of francium are recognized.

Is cobalt a colour?

In the art of painting cobalt is mainly known as a colour blue. The pigment that was traditionally extracted from a mineral comes, however, in various shades, varying from yellow to red and from blue to green.

Is cobalt a battery?

Cobalt ensures cathodes do not easily overheat or catch fire and it helps extend the life of batteries which automakers usually guarantee for eight to 10 years.

What is a real life example of cobalt?

Currently, the traditional areas of consumption and application of cobalt are mainly battery materials, super heat-resistant alloys, tool steels, hard alloys, magnetic materials; cobalt in the form of compounds is mainly used as catalysts, desiccants, reagents, pigments and dyes.

What are 5 interesting facts about cobalt?

Five astonishing facts about cobalt

• Cobalt is named after mythical, death-dealing goblins.
• We’ve used cobalt dye for at least 2,600 years.
• Cobalt can treat cancer…but also kill you.
• Cobalt used to be a beer additive – with disastrous effects.
• Cobalt is key to cutting edge technology and a greener future.

Does cobalt react with water?

Chemical Properties
Cobalt has the ability to react with most acids to produce hydrogen gas. However cobalt does not react with water that is at room temperature. The simplest ion that cobalt forms in solution is the pink hexaaquacobalt(II) ion – [Co(H₂O)₆]²⁺.