1. Benefits & Dangers of: Radioisotopes

2. Dating (not that kind)
C-14 used to date organic (previously living) materials
Living organisms incorporate C-14 into their structure, along with C-12
C-14 decays with known half-life
14C  14N + 0
comparing amounts of C-14 & C-12 can figure how many half-lives have gone by since it died
Helps determine age of substance 6 7 -1

3. ROCKS U-238 decays to Pb-206 (many steps)
Over time, amount of U  and amount of Pb 
Scientists use the ratio of U-238 to Pb-206 to date rocks

4. Chemical Tracers
Able to detect radioactive materials and their decay products
Tracer = any radioisotope used to follow path of material in system
P-31: determines P uptake in plants
C-14: maps C in metabolic processes
C-14: maps organic molecules and figures out reaction mechanisms

5. Industrial Applications
Kill bacteria and spores in food and mail

6. Medical
radioisotopes with short half-lives (quickly eliminated from the body)
Tracers in medical diagnosis
Treatment of cancer
I-131: Diagnosis & treat thyroid disorders
Co-60: gamma emitter
Used to kill cancerous tumors

7. Medical Co-60 and Cs-137: destroys anthrax bacilli
Co-60: kills bacteria in foods
Tc-99: treatment of brain cancer

8. Power Plants Used as a fuel source to generate electricity
No contributions to greenhouse gases
No mercury contamination of atmosphere

9. Radiation Risks Can damage normal tissue
High doses can cause illness & death
Can cause mutations in DNA
Disposal of waste is difficult (esp. from nuclear power plants)
Fuel rods are mix of many substances
Storage & transportation both problematic