cobalt 60

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. 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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cobalt 60 Cultural  

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

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Discover More

Cobalt 60 is a common substance used in radiation therapy for cancer.

Etymology

Origin of cobalt 60

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cobalt 60

To run the experiment she had in mind, Wu needed to reduce the temperature of radioactive cobalt 60 nuclei until the particles almost stopped moving.

From Scientific American ● Mar. 16, 2023

Given all that, replacing cobalt 60 machines does not always go well.

From Scientific American ● Mar. 11, 2022

In mid-May, Mr. Watson ventured to the well site, where robotic submersibles were sent down to the seafloor with cobalt 60, a radioactive isotope that generates gamma rays.

From New York Times ● Jun. 21, 2010

These are not very dangerous amounts; the maximum permissible concentration of cobalt 60 in the human body is listed by the Bureau of Standards as three microcuries.

From Time Magazine Archive

Millions of cubic meters of toxic material, including pcbs and cobalt 60, were dumped in trenches and covered with soil.

From Time Magazine Archive