Why technetium is naturally unstable?
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Why technetium is naturally unstable?
The more number of Neutrons in Technetium makes it unstable. Though it is not a naturally occurring element. It has too many neutrons compared to the number of protons. So it turns out that all configurations with 43 protons either decay in Mo (42) or Ru (44) because both these elements have a lot of stable isotopes.
Is technetium 97 stable or unstable?
The most stable radioactive isotopes are technetium-97 with a half-life of 4.21 million years, technetium-98 with 4.2 million years, and technetium-99 with 211,100 years. Thirty other radioisotopes have been characterized with mass numbers ranging from 85 to 118.
What makes an unstable isotope unstable?
Usually, what makes an isotope unstable is the large nucleus. If a nucleus becomes larger enough from the number of neutrons, since the neutron count is what makes isotopes, it will be unstable and will try to ‘shed’ its neutrons and/or protons in order to achieve stability.
What can destroy technetium?
To get rid of technetium-99, a fission product that lives for 210,000 years, we can transmute it to technetium-100 through the capture of a neutron. Technetium-100 then decays within a few minutes to a stable ruthenium nucleus.
What are the properties of technetium?
technetium
| atomic number | 43 |
|---|---|
| melting point | 2,172° C (3,942° F) |
| boiling point | 4,877° C (8,811° F) |
| specific gravity | 11.5 (20° C) |
| oxidation states | +4, +6, +7 |
What is technetium density?
Density. 11.5 g.cm-3 at 20°C. Melting point.
What does stable and unstable mean in isotopes?
Stable isotopes are naturally occurring forms of elements that are non-radioactive. Unstable isotopes are atoms having unstable nuclei. Therefore, these elements undergo radioactivity. This is the main difference between stable and unstable isotopes.
What are the disadvantages of technetium-99m?
It gives high yields of 99Mo of very high specific activity. However, its main disadvantages are high costs and generation of large quantities of highly radioactive waste. Depending on the separation method several types of generators were developed.