radioisotope production Flashcards
What are radioisotopes?
Isotopes that emit radiation due to unstable nuclei decay
They are used in various applications such as industry, agriculture, healthcare, and research.
How are isotopes defined?
Nuclei having the same number of protons but different number of neutrons
What is the process of decay for unstable nuclei?
Emission of alpha or beta particles or gamma radiation
What can induce radioactivity in light elements?
Exposing them to excess energy such as neutrons or charged particles
What are the four radioactive series found in nature?
Each series consists of a succession of daughter products derived from a single parent nuclide
What is the significance of the decay process?
Nuclides emit alpha and/or beta particles until a stable nuclide is reached
What is the main use of radioisotopes in medical applications?
Radiotherapy and diagnostic applications
What methods are used to prepare radiotracers?
- Simple dissolution
- Ion exchange
- Filtration
- Absorption
- Precipitation
- Solvent extraction
- Electrochemical methods
- Distillation/volatilization
What are the four different methods of radioisotope production?
- Nuclear fission
- Neutron activation processes
- Charged particle induced reactions
- Radionuclide generator
What factors influence radioisotope production in a nuclear reactor?
- Energy of the neutrons
- Neutron flux
- Characteristics and quantity of the target material
- Activation cross-section for the desired reaction
What does a nuclear reaction produce?
Radionuclides
How is a nuclear reaction represented?
T(P,E)R
Where P = projectile particle, T = stationary target nucleus, E = energy radiation or particle, R = residual nucleus
What is a (n,y) reaction?
Radiative capture, primarily a thermal neutron reaction
What occurs in a (n,y) reaction followed by beta decay?
Leads to a product with short half-life which decays by beta emission
What does the fission of Uranium-235 produce?
A number of radioisotopes and neutrons
What is the principle behind nuclear reactors?
Controlled nuclear fission
What is the role of neutrons in nuclear fission?
They are used to split Uranium nuclei, causing a chain reaction
What are Baby Cyclotrons used for?
Production of short-lived positron emitters
What is the typical energy range for charged particles in cyclotrons?
1 to 100 MeV
What types of particles are used in charged particle induced reactions?
- Protons
- Deuterons
- Alpha particles
What is the significance of Mo-99 in nuclear medicine?
It decays to Tc-99, a widely used radioisotope in diagnostics
What is the relationship between nuclear fission and radioisotopes?
Fission produces multiple radioisotopes from the splitting of heavy nuclei
What happens during the activation of Mo-97?
Mo-97 is neutron irradiated to produce Tc-99
