Question

The radio isotope of this element is used in the treatment of Cancer.
(A) Carbon
(B) Iodine
(C) Phosphorus
(D) Cobalt

Answer 1

In the treatment of cancer some radio therapies are used in which gamma radiation is used. So, the element which radiates gamma rays is used in cancer treatment.

Complete step by step answer:
Let's check the uses of all the elements given in the question one by one
Carbon: Generally there is no use of carbon directly in medicine. It is used as fuel.
Since the atomic number of Carbon is 6, so it is not a radioactive source.
Hence it is not used for cancer treatment. Instead Carbon dioxide is used as an insufflation gas and as a cryotherapy agent. So option (A) is not correct.
Iodine: According to the periodic table, the atomic number of iodine is 53. So it is not a radioactive source. It is used as an antiseptic on wounds that are wet or to disinfect the skin before surgery.So option (B) is also not correct.
Phosphorus: The atomic number of iodine is 53. So it is not a radioactive source.
It is used in the formation of bones and teeth. It also plays an important role in how the body uses carbohydrates and fats but it does not have any use in the cancer treatment. So option (C) is also not correct.
Cobalt: Cobalt is a radioactive element which emits gamma rays. Radioactive element has excess energy which is emitted from the nucleus as gamma radiation and the Isotopes of any element has some number of protons but different number of neutrons in each atom.In the treatment of cancer cobalt therapy or cobalt -60 therapy is the medical use of gamma rays from the radioisotope cobalt -60.

Hence (Cobalt) Option D is the correct answer.

Additional information:
1. Cobalt-60 is also used as implants and as an external source of radiation exposure.
2. It is also used industrially in levelling gauges and to x-ray welding seams and other structural elements to detect flows.
3. It is also used for food irradiation and a sterilization process.

Note: Many times students may get confused between stable and unstable isotopes of any element.
Stable isotope: A stable isotope is any of two or more forms of an element whose nuclei contains the same number of protons and electrons but a different number of neutrons. It remains unchanged indefinitely.
Unstable isotope: It is also called radioactive isotope which undergoes spontaneous disintegration. Cobalt – 60 is also an unstable isotope of cobalt.