ANSWER : Nuclear Isomerism refers to a phenomenon in nuclear physics where atomic nuclei exist in excited states with longer lifetimes than their ground states. These excited states, known as nuclear isomers, have different energy levels but the same atomic and mass numbers. Isomers are created through various nuclear processes, such as nuclear reactions or radioactive decay. Unlike typical radioactive decay, isomers have longer lifetimes, ranging from microseconds to years, before transitioning to their ground states.
Examples of nuclear isomers include :
- Technetium-99m (used in medical imaging)
- Metastable Xenon-129 (used in nuclear magnetic resonance imaging)
- Hafnium-178m2 (used in cancer treatment).
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