Question detail
Which of the following best describes a characteristic of a suitable medical tracer?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Hazards and uses of radioactive emissions and of background radiation
Question
- A. It should have a long half-life to minimize exposure
- B. It should have a short half-life to limit radiation dose
- C. It should be a strong alpha emitter
- D. It should be non-radioactive
Answer
The correct answer is B: It should have a short half-life to limit radiation dose.
Explanation
The correct answer is B: It should have a short half-life to limit radiation dose. This supports the learning objective "Explain why medical tracers should have long enough half-lives to be detected." in Different half-lives of radioactive isotopes because it uses the correct atomic and nuclear radiation relationship for Hazards and uses of radioactive emissions and of background radiation. The other options are less suitable because they do not match the required Different half-lives of radioactive isotopes idea: It should have a long half-life to minimize exposure; It should be a strong alpha emitter; It should be non-radioactive.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Half-Life Duration
Students often confuse the concept of half-life with the total time a radioactive isotope remains active, thinking that a longer half-life means the isotope is active for a longer period overall.
Clarify that half-life is the time taken for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay, and that isotopes with longer half-lives can still remain detectable for extended periods, but their activity decreases gradually.
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