Is Cobalt-60 Radioactive Or Stable?
radioactive isotope.
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 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).
Is cobalt stable or radioactive?
Cobalt-59 is naturally occurring and is stable. Cobalt-50 through 58 and 60 through 75 are artificially produced and are radioactive.
Is cobalt-60 an unstable isotope?
Because of the unstable configuration of the atomic nucleus of cobalt-60, a neutron is changed to a proton and nickel-60 is obtained.
Why is cobalt-60 unstable?
One of its synthetic isotopes, Cobalt-60 (Co-60), has an extra neutron in its nucleus that makes it unstable. As it breaks down, Co-60 emits high energy, “ionizing” radiation that can break molecular bonds.
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.
Is cobalt-60 A radioactive isotope?
Radioactive Co-60 is produced commercially through linear acceleration for use in medicine and industry. Co-60 also is a byproduct of nuclear reactor operations, when metal structures, such as steel rods, are exposed to neutron radiation.
Is all cobalt radioactive?
Cobalt-60 is a commercially important radioisotope, used as a radioactive tracer and for the production of high-energy gamma rays. Cobalt is the active center of a group of coenzymes called cobalamins.
| Cobalt | |
|---|---|
| Standard atomic weight Ar°(Co) | 58.933194±0.000003 58.933±0.001 (abridged) |
| Cobalt in the periodic table |
Is cobalt a stable element?
Natural cobalt is all stable isotope cobalt-59, from which the longest-lived artificial radioactive isotope cobalt-60 (5.3-year half-life) is produced by neutron irradiation in a nuclear reactor.
Is cobalt stable or reactive?
Like iron, it can be magnetized. It is similar to iron and nickel in its physical properties. The element is active chemically, forming many compounds. Cobalt is stable in air and unaffected by water, but is slowly attacked by dilute acids.
Which isotope is unstable?
Stable isotopes do not decay into other elements. In contrast, radioactive isotopes (e.g., 14C) are unstable and will decay into other elements.
Does cobalt have stable isotopes?
Naturally occurring cobalt is composed of 1 stable isotope, 59Co. 22 radioisotopes have been characterized with the most stable being 60Co with a half-life of 5.2714 years, 57Co with a half-life of 271.79 days, 56Co with a half-life of 77.27 days, and 58Co with a half life of 70.86 days.
How can you tell if an isotope is unstable?
An unstable isotope emits some kind of radiation, that is it is radioactive. A stable isotope is one that does not emit radiation, or, if it does its half-life is too long to have been measured. It is believed that the stability of the nucleus of an isotope is determined by the ratio of neutrons to protons.
What happens if you touch cobalt-60?
Mishandling of a large industrial source of Co-60 could result in an external exposure large enough to cause skin burns, acute radiation sickness radiation sickness A serious illness that can happen when a person is exposed to very high levels of radiation, usually over a short period of time. or death.
What’s the most radioactive element?
Polonium. Because it is a naturally-occurring element that releases a huge amount of energy, many sources cite polonium as the most radioactive element.
How long does it take for cobalt-60 to decay?
The half-life of a specific radioactive isotope is constant; it is unaffected by conditions and is independent of the initial amount of that isotope. For example, cobalt-60, an isotope that emits gamma rays used to treat cancer, has a half-life of 5.27 years (Figure 11.3. 1).
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.
How much radiation does a cobalt-60 source produce?
For new sources, total activity is approximately 6000 Ci with a dose rate of 400 cGy/minute. Radioactive decay releases two gamma rays with an average energy of approximately 1.25 MeV.
How can you store cobalt-60 so that it is safe to handle?
* Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated area away from COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS (such as WOOD, FUEL and OILS). * Sources of ignition, such as smoking and open flames, are prohibited where finely divided Cobalt is used, handled, or stored.
What are the non radioactive isotopes of cobalt?
Naturally occurring cobalt (Co) is composed of 1 stable isotope, 59Co. 22 radioisotopes have been characterized with the most stable being 60Co with a half-life of 5.2714 years, 57Co with a half-life of 271.79 days, 56Co with a half-life of 77.27 days, and 58Co with a half-life of 70.86 days.
Is cobalt-60 a beta decay?
The cobalt-60 isotope undergoes beta decay with a half-life of 5.272 years. Cobalt-60 decays to Nickel-60 plus an electron and an electron antineutrino. The decay is initially to a nuclear excited state of Nickel-60 from which it emits either one or two gamma ray photons to reach the ground state of the Nickel isotope.
Contents