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Radioisotopes and Isotopes - Coggle Diagram
Radioisotopes and Isotopes
Difference
Applications
Radioisotopes have a wide variety of applications in fields such as nuclear medicine, dating of archaeological and geological materials, nuclear energy and scientific research. On the other hand, stable isotopes also have important applications, such as in the traceability of elements in chemistry and geology, but they are not associated with radioactivity.
Safety:
Due to their radioactive nature, radioisotopes require careful and controlled handling to avoid unwanted radiation exposure. Strict safety measures must be followed when handling it. In contrast, stable isotopes do not present radioactive risks and can be handled with fewer precautions in terms of radiological safety.
Radioactive properties:
The main difference lies in radioactivity. Radioisotopes are unstable isotopes that exhibit radioactivity, that is, they decay, emitting subatomic particles and/or electromagnetic radiation. On the other hand, isotopes can be stable or unstable, but stable isotopes do not show radioactivity.
Decay:
Radioisotopes decay over time, transforming into other more stable elements or isotopes through radioactive decay processes such as the emission of alpha, beta or gamma particles. Stable isotopes do not undergo radioactive decay.
Half-life:
Radioisotopes have half-lives that range from fractions of a second to thousands of years, depending on the specific isotope. Stable isotopes, on the other hand, have an infinite half-life, since they do not undergo radioactive decay.
Radioisotopes
Radioisotopes are unstable isotopes that exhibit radioactivity
Some radioisotopes, such as uranium-235 and plutonium-239, are used as fuels in nuclear reactors to generate electrical energy.
Carbon-14, a radioisotope of carbon, is used in dating archaeological and geological materials. It is formed in the atmosphere and is incorporated into living organisms; Its disintegration is used to estimate the age of organic samples.
Many radioisotopes are used in nuclear medicine for diagnosis and treatment. For example, technetium-99m is used in medical imaging to evaluate the function of internal organs.
Radioisotopes undergo radioactive decay, releasing subatomic particles and/or electromagnetic radiation in the process. This decay can be alpha (emission of alpha particles), beta (emission of electrons or positrons) or gamma (emission of electromagnetic radiation).
Isotopes
Isotopes are variants of a chemical element that have the same number of protons in their nucleus, but differ in the number of neutrons.
Hydrogen, for example, has three main isotopes: protium, deuterium and tritium. Protium is the most common and consists of a single proton in its nucleus. Deuterium has one extra neutron, and tritium has two extra neutrons.
Some isotopes are stable, meaning they do not undergo radioactive decay, while others are unstable and decay over time, emitting radiation in the form of alpha, beta, or gamma particles.
Isotopes are used in dating ancient materials. For example, carbon-14 is used in dating archaeological objects. Other isotopes, such as uranium-235, are used in dating rocks and minerals.
Stable isotopes are those that do not undergo significant radioactive decay over time, while unstable isotopes, also known as radioisotopes, are those that are radioactive and decay over time.