Sodium

Sodium is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Na (Natrium in Latin) and atomic number 11. Sodium is a soft, waxy, silvery reactive metal belonging to the alkali metals that is abundant in natural compounds (especially halite).

Isotopes

There are thirteen isotopes of sodium that have been recognized. The only stable isotope is Na-23. Sodium has two radioactive cosmogenic isotopes (Na-22, half-life = 2.605 years; Na-24, half-life ≈ 15 hours).

Related Topics:
Isotope - Radioactive - Cosmogenic - Half-life

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Acute neutron radiation exposure (e.g., from a nuclear criticality accident) converts some of the stable Na-23 in human blood plasma to Na-24. By measuring the concentration of this isotope, the neutron radiation dosage to the victim can be computed.

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