Question
Three radioisotopes are being discussed in a chemistry class. Technetium-99m has a half-life of 6 hours. Rubidium-87 has a half-life of 50 billion years. Which describes who would most likely use each isotope?
A geologist would use technetium-99m because short-life indicates an older organism, and a doctor would use rubidium-87 because it allows for a more-accurate measurement of disease.
A doctor would use technetium-99m because a short half-life indicates a quick measurement, and a geologist would use rubidium-87 because a longer half-life means that there is a longer time to measure old rock.
A doctor would use technetium-99m because a short half-life indicates a quick measurement, and an archeologist would use rubidium-87 because anything containing carbon also contains rubidium.
A geologist would use technetium-99m because a short half-life indicates an older organism, and an archeologist would use rubidium-87 because anything containing carbon also contains rubidium.
A geologist would use technetium-99m because short-life indicates an older organism, and a doctor would use rubidium-87 because it allows for a more-accurate measurement of disease.
A doctor would use technetium-99m because a short half-life indicates a quick measurement, and a geologist would use rubidium-87 because a longer half-life means that there is a longer time to measure old rock.
A doctor would use technetium-99m because a short half-life indicates a quick measurement, and an archeologist would use rubidium-87 because anything containing carbon also contains rubidium.
A geologist would use technetium-99m because a short half-life indicates an older organism, and an archeologist would use rubidium-87 because anything containing carbon also contains rubidium.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The most accurate description is:
**A doctor would use technetium-99m because a short half-life indicates a quick measurement, and a geologist would use rubidium-87 because a longer half-life means that there is a longer time to measure old rock.**
Technetium-99m is commonly used in medical imaging due to its short half-life of 6 hours, allowing for rapid decay and thus quick diagnostic procedures with minimal radiation exposure to the patient.
Rubidium-87, with its half-life of 50 billion years, is useful for geological dating because it allows scientists to date very old rocks and geological events. The long half-life means that it can provide reliable measurements over the vast timescales involved in geology.
The other options contain inaccuracies about who would most likely use each isotope and the reasoning behind their use.
**A doctor would use technetium-99m because a short half-life indicates a quick measurement, and a geologist would use rubidium-87 because a longer half-life means that there is a longer time to measure old rock.**
Technetium-99m is commonly used in medical imaging due to its short half-life of 6 hours, allowing for rapid decay and thus quick diagnostic procedures with minimal radiation exposure to the patient.
Rubidium-87, with its half-life of 50 billion years, is useful for geological dating because it allows scientists to date very old rocks and geological events. The long half-life means that it can provide reliable measurements over the vast timescales involved in geology.
The other options contain inaccuracies about who would most likely use each isotope and the reasoning behind their use.