What is the decay process of cobalt-60?

The cobalt-60 isotope undergoes beta decay with a half-life of 5.272 years. Cobalt-60 decays to Nickel-60 plus an electron and an electron antineutrino. The decay is initially to a nuclear excited state of Nickel-60 from which it emits either one or two gamma ray photons to reach the ground state of the Nickel isotope.

What is the decay constant for cobalt-60?

0.1315 yr-1
So for Co-60 (which has a half-life of 5.27 years) the decay constant is equal to 0.693/5.27 years = 0.1315 yr-1, which you would read as 0.1315 per year.

What is the nuclear equation for cobalt-60?

Cobalt-59 is bombarded with neutrons to produce cobalt-60, which is then used to treat certain cancers. The nuclear equation for this reaction shows the gamma rays that are released when cobalt-60 is produced. 5927Co+10n⟶6027Co+γ

What is the isotope notation for cobalt-60?

60Co
Cobalt-60

General
Symbol 60Co
Names cobalt-60, Co-60
Protons (Z) 27
Neutrons (N) 33

What is the total activity of 1.0 g of cobalt-60?

1.1 x 103 Ci
By knowing the amount of radioisotope and the activity of the sample, the rate constant can be determined. Example: A 1.00 g sample of cobalt-60 (59.92 g/mol) has an activity of 1.1 x 103 Ci.

What is the alpha decay equation?

Alpha Decay Equation In α-decay, the mass number of the product nucleus (daughter nucleus) is four less than that of the decaying nucleus (parent nucleus), while the atomic number decreases by two. In general, the alpha decay equation is represented as follows: Z A X → Z − 2 A − 4 Y + 2 4 He.

How do you find the half-life of cobalt-60?

The half life is the time taken for the mass of the substance to decrease by a half. In this case, the amount of substance remaining is 20% of the initial amount (0.1 g out of initial 0.5 g). So it would take 2.32 half lives to decay this much, which is 2.32 x 5.2 which is 12.064 years.

What’s the atomic number of cobalt-60?

27
It is obtained by reductive smelting of its ore to produce a hard, lustrous, and silver-grey metal. The atomic mass of Cobalt is 58.993 and its atomic number is 27.