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cobalt 60

noun Chemistry.

a radioactive isotope of cobalt having a mass number of 60 and a half-life of 5.2 years, used chiefly in radiotherapy.

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Origin of cobalt 60

First recorded in 1945–50

Words nearby cobalt 60

coaxial cable, cob, cobaea, cobalamin, cobalt, cobalt 60, cobaltammine, cobalt bloom, cobalt blue, cobalt bomb, cobalt green
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for cobalt 60

  • Nothing happened although the board showed the gauge's cobalt-60 beta and gamma still hot.

    The Thirst Quenchers|Rick Raphael

Cultural definitions for cobalt 60

cobalt 60
[ (koh-bawlt) ]

A radioactive isotope produced when neutrons bombard atoms of the element cobalt.

notes for cobalt 60

Cobalt 60 is a common substance used in radiation therapy for cancer.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.