It is represented by the symbol Tc and its atomic number is 43. This transition metal is characterized by chemical properties of silvery and gray tones, it is crystalline and they are intermediate between those of manganese and those of rhenium.
The 99mTc nuclear isomer is extremely short-lived and emits gamma rays, it is used in nuclear medicine to use a wide variety of diagnostic tests. 99Tc is used as a source of Beta particles, it is free to emit Gamma rays.
Electron configuration of technetium
This element has 43 electrons in total and is distributed as follows: the first shell has 2 electrons, the second houses 8 electrons, in the third shell there are 18 electrons, in the fourth there are 13 electrons and in the fifth there are has 2 electrons.
The covalent radius of technetium is 156 pm, the Bohr radius or atomic radius is 183 pm and the mean radius is 135 pm.
The atomic mass of any element is defined by the total mass of protons and neutrons located in an atom that is part of the element. The atomic mass of technetium is [98](0) you are. Technetium can be placed in period 5 and group 7 of the periodic table of chemical elements.
Properties of technetium
Technetium is a silvery gray radioactive metal, its appearance is similar to that of platinum metal but when obtained, it usually appears as a grayish powder. It sits between ruthenium and molybdenum in the periodic table. According to its predictions in the periodic laws, it has intermediate properties between the two metals.
Similar to promethium, this element is exceptional when it comes to light elements because it has no stable isotope and is surrounded by other elements that do. Due to its instability, technetium is very rare on the planet. It does not develop any biological role and being found in normal conditions, it is not found in the human body.
The naturally occurring form of technetium is a paramagnetic solid. The boiling point of this element is 4265.85 degrees Celsius or degrees Celsius which is equivalent to 4538 degrees Kelvin. Technetium has a melting point of 2157.85 degrees Celsius, or degrees Celsius, similar to 2430 degrees Kelvin.
The element’s metallic form dulls quickly on contact with moist air. When technetium is reduced to powder, it ignites on contact with oxygen. It can be dissolved in nitric acid, aqua regia and concentrated sulfuric acid; but this is not possible in hydrochloric acid.
The metallic form has a slight paramagnetism, this means that the magnetic dipoles are aligned with outside magnetic fields, although technetium is not normally magnetic. The crystalline structure of this element is characterized by a tight hexagonal packing.
Technetium is produced in nuclear fission processes. It spreads easily, much more so than various radionuclides. It is important to understand the toxicity of the element in humans and animals, but experimental tests are not extensive.
Technetium appears to have low chemical toxicity. The radiological toxicity measured per unit mass can evolve according to the function of the compound, the half-life and the type of radiation of the isotope studied.
99mTc is attractive primarily for its uses in medicine. The maximum radiation that this isotope presents is gamma rays with a wavelength similar to X-rays used to make common diagnosis, giving adequate penetration and producing minimal damage.
All of this, together with the short half-life of its metastable nuclear isomer and the relatively long half-life of the isotope it produces, which allows it to be cleared from the body long before it decays, is what The typical 99mTc of a nuclear scan can involve a relatively low dose of radiation delivered.
The main risk when using technetium at work is inhalation of the dust. The radioactive contamination that this generates in the lungs poses a significant risk of cancer. Almost all work with technetium requires careful handling using a fume hood, which is usually more than enough and does not require the use of dry chamber gloves.
