Talk:Commonly used gamma-emitting isotopes

Latest comment: 6 months ago by 2001:8003:E40F:9601:1893:E169:57D5:55B in topic Wot about Fluorine 18?

Americium is an alpha source

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Under the heading of Minor Actinides, the article claims Americium is used as a gamma source for smoke detectors. This is not referenced. It is also incorrect. Smoke does not easlh stop gammas. Smoke detectors use alpha emitters like AM241 since smoke can stop alpha radiation making smoke detectable. BGriffin (talk) 08:02, 20 November 2018 (UTC)BGriffinReply

Wot about Fluorine 18?

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As discussed elsewhere in Wikipedia, the minority of Fluorine 18 decay is by emitting a positron, which immediately reacts with an electron, releasing two gamma rays. F18 is thus, even if arguably "indirectly", a source of gamma rays. This is commercially and routinely used in medical PET scanning, so it is a very common use.

Should it be included in the table? 2001:8003:E40F:9601:1893:E169:57D5:55B (talk) 07:00, 1 February 2024 (UTC)Reply