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Radioactivity is indeed used to treat some types of cancer. Electron beams are used for surface cancers due to their lower energy. Proton beams and neutron beams are used to treat other hard to reach cancers. Carbon ion radiation is also sometimes used.

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Why are radioactive isotopes that emit gamma rays useful for treating some foms of cancer?

Radioactive isotopes that emit gamma rays are useful in treating certain forms of cancer because they can target and destroy cancerous cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Gamma rays have high energy and deep penetration capabilities, allowing them to reach tumors located deep within the body. This targeted radiation therapy helps shrink tumors and alleviate symptoms, making it an effective treatment option for various cancers. Additionally, the precise delivery of gamma radiation can enhance the overall effectiveness of cancer treatment when combined with other therapies.


What is special about radioactive isotopes?

Radioactive isotopes are a subset of isotopes. If we look at all isotopes, some of them are radioactive. That means that they have unstable nuclei, and they will decay spontaneously sooner or later.


How isotopes can be used to benefit humans?

Isotopes can be used in various fields such as medicine (e.g. for diagnosis and treatment), agriculture (e.g. to track nutrients in plants), industry (e.g. for material testing), and environmental sciences (e.g. for pollution monitoring). Their unique properties make them useful in understanding biological processes, tracing element pathways, and detecting abnormalities in various systems.


Elements in radioisotopes and their uses?

Radioisotopes are unstable isotopes of elements that emit radiation as they decay. They are used in various applications such as medical imaging, cancer treatment, industrial radiography, and radioactive dating. Some commonly used radioisotopes include technetium-99m in nuclear medicine, cobalt-60 in cancer therapy, and carbon-14 in carbon dating.


Which property of uranium isotopes makes it useful for measuring events throughout the history of the earth?

The property of uranium isotopes that make them useful for dating events throughout Earth's history is their radioactive nature. Uranium isotopes undergo radioactive decay at a known rate, allowing scientists to measure the amount of decay products in a sample to determine its age. This method, known as uranium-lead dating, is particularly valuable for dating ancient rocks and minerals.

Related Questions

Why are radioactive isotopes Emit gamma rays useful for treating some forms of cancer?

Gamma rays can destroy malign cells.


Why are isotopes useful in the treatment of cancer?

Because the radiation is what they can use to not only x-ray people and find out if they have cancer but also to treat them. Chemotherapy and other therapies are just radiation to try to destroy the cancer cells.


Why are isotopes useful in medical field?

because they detect cancer .


What are 2 radioactive isotopes that make them useful?

Two examples are: carbon-14 and cobalt-60.


What is special about radioactive isotopes?

Radioactive isotopes are a subset of isotopes. If we look at all isotopes, some of them are radioactive. That means that they have unstable nuclei, and they will decay spontaneously sooner or later.


How are radioactive isotopes useful to researchers?

Radioactive isotopes are used is:- medicine, for treatment by irradiation- medicine, for diagnostic- in science/technology as tracers- as source of energy- as source of ionizing radiations- in many instruments- determination of rocks ageetc.


Can all radioactive isotopes be used in radiometric dating?

No, not all radioactive isotopes be used in radiometric dating. Some have very very short half lives and would entirely disappear before any useful period of time passed.


What are two radioactive isotopes that are useful for dating rocks that are older that 10 million years?

what are two radio active isotopes that are usful for dating rocks that are older than ten million years


How isotopes can be used to benefit humans?

Isotopes can be used in various fields such as medicine (e.g. for diagnosis and treatment), agriculture (e.g. to track nutrients in plants), industry (e.g. for material testing), and environmental sciences (e.g. for pollution monitoring). Their unique properties make them useful in understanding biological processes, tracing element pathways, and detecting abnormalities in various systems.


What property of radioactive elements make them useful for determining absolute age?

The property of radioactive decay is what makes radioactive elements useful for determining absolute age. By measuring the amount of parent and daughter isotopes in a sample, scientists can calculate the age of the material based on the known half-life of the radioactive element.


How are isotopes produced and how do they work in nuclear medicine?

The radioactive isotopes used in medicine are mostly prepared in a couple of different ways. It is possible to extract a useful radionuclide form the spent fuel of a nuclear power plant; iodine-131 and molybdenum-99 are examples of isotopes prepared in this manner. Cyclotrons are used for other isotopes, an example being Fluoron-18, which is made by bombarding natural, stable, oxygen-18 with protons from a cyclotron. The radioactive atoms are often bound in molecules designed for particular jobs. Nuclear medicine uses the radioactive materials for diagnostic purposes, since they can image things x-rays cannot detect or with smaller amounts of damaging radiation. Other radioactive materials are designed to be used therapeutically, for example to destroy cancer cells selectively.


Why do scientist use radioactive dating?

Scientists use radioactive dating to determine the age of rocks and fossils by measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes. By analyzing the ratio of parent and daughter isotopes, scientists can calculate the age of the material. This technique is particularly useful for dating objects that are millions or billions of years old.