what is a radioisotope

A radioisotope, also known as a radioactive nuclide, is a nuclide that has excess nuclear energy, making it unstable. This excess energy can be emitted from the nucleus as gamma radiation or transferred to one of its electrons to release it as a conversion electron. Radioisotopes can be extracted from nuclear waste or produced deliberately with nuclear reactors by exploiting the high flux of neutrons present. They can also be artificially manufactured by firing high-speed particles into the nucleus of an atom. Radioisotopes are used in various fields, including nuclear medicine, industrial radiography, and environmental tracing. In nuclear medicine, they are used for diagnosis, treatment, and research, and can provide diagnostic information about internal anatomy and the functioning of specific organs. In industry, radioisotopes are used for gauging, to measure levels of liquid inside containers, or to measure the thickness of materials.