Polonium-210 is a radioactive isotope of polonium with a half-life of 138 days. It decays via alpha decay to lead.
Which of the following are reasons why polonium-210 cannot be used as a radioactive tracer?
- Polonium-210 is too expensive to be used as a radioactive tracer.
- Polonium-210 decays too slowly and thus would remain in a person’s system for too long.
- Polonium-210 is a very rare isotope, and thus refining it for use in medicine is too difficult.
- Polonium-210 decays too quickly and thus would not remain in a person’s system long enough to be useful.
- Polonium-210 decays to lead, which is highly toxic.
- Polonium-210 decays via alpha decay. Radioactive tracers have to emit gamma rays. The alpha particles released by polonium would be absorbed by the body’s cells.
