Barium-134 isotope

Barium-134 is an isotope of the element Barium, with a mass number of 134. It is a radioactive element that undergoes beta decay, emitting beta particles and transforming into the stable isotope of Xenon-134. The half-life of Barium-134 is approximately 12.8 days, which means that half of the atoms in a sample will decay in that time period. Barium-134 has several uses in various fields. In the medical industry, it is used for diagnostic purposes, particularly in X-ray examinations of the digestive system. Barium sulfate, which contains Barium-134, is given to a patient orally, and its movement through the digestive system is tracked using X-rays. This allows doctors to visualize the structure and function of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition to its medical applications, Barium-134 is used in nuclear physics research. It is often used as a tracer in experiments, as its beta decay can be detected and tracked to determine the movement and behavior of other particles. From a chemical perspective, Barium-134 has similar properties to other Barium isotopes. It is a soft, silvery-white metal that is highly reactive and readily forms compounds with other elements. However, due to its radioactive nature, it must be handled with caution and proper safety measures must be taken.