Read this article to learn about the interaction of radioactivity with matter. Alpha Particles: Fig. 13.5 illustrates the passage of an alpha-particle through matter. Because alpha-particles (made up of 2 protons and 2 neutrons) are comparatively heavy and doubly charged, they cause a great deal of ionization as they collide with atomic electrons in the material, knocking them out of [...]
Read this article to learn about the precautionary measures with radioisotopes. The greatest practical disadvantages of using radioisotopes are their toxicity; they produce ionizing radiations. When absorbed, radiation causes ionisation and free radicals from that interact with the cell's macromolecules, causing mutation of DNA and hydrolysis of proteins. The toxicity of radiation is dependent not simply on the amount present [...]
This article throws light upon the various applications of radioisotopes in the biological science. (A) Investigating Aspects of Metabolism: 1. Metabolic Pathways: Radioisotopes are frequently used for tracing metabolic pathways. This usually involves adding a radioactive substrate, taking samples of the experimental material at various times, extracting and chromatographically or otherwise separating the products. Radioactivity detectors can be attached to [...]