sodium22

Sodium-22 is a radioactive isotope of sodium. It has an atomic mass of approximately 21.995 atomic mass units and is produced by nuclear reactions. Sodium-22 is a positron emitter, meaning it decays by emitting a positron, which is the antiparticle of an electron. This decay process also results in the emission of a gamma ray photon. The half-life of sodium-22 is about 2.605 years. Due to its radioactive properties, sodium-22 is used in various applications, primarily in research and medical imaging. In nuclear medicine, it can be used as a tracer to study physiological processes, although other radioisotopes are more commonly employed. It is also utilized in certain scientific experiments to investigate nuclear physics phenomena. The handling and disposal of sodium-22 require strict safety protocols due to its radioactivity.