A small quantity of NaCl containing radioactive 11^24 Na is added to an aqueous solution of NaNO

step 1 Okay, so here we have a flask full of aqueous N .N .O .3. We see that the Nions and the Kahn ion

A small quantity of NaCl containing radioactive 11^24 Na is...

A small quantity of $\mathrm{NaCl}$ containing radioactive $_{11}^{24} \mathrm{Na}$ is added to an aqueous solution of $\mathrm{NaNO}_{3}$. The solution is cooled, and $\mathrm{NaNO}_{3}$ is crystallized from the solution. Would you expect the $\mathrm{NaNO}_{3}(\mathrm{s})$ to be radioactive? Explain.

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Key Concepts

Radioactive Isotope as a Tracer

A radioactive isotope can act as a tracer in chemical experiments, allowing scientists to track the distribution and movement of a particular element without altering its chemical behavior. Despite its radioactivity, the isotope shares the same chemical properties as its stable form, so it can be followed through various chemical processes.

Chemical Equivalence of Isotopes

Isotopes of the same element behave virtually identically in chemical reactions. Although a radioactive isotope, like Na-24, decays over time, its chemical interactions remain the same as the stable isotope. This equivalence means that when compounds are formed or separated, the isotope does not preferentially partition into one phase over another simply because it is radioactive.

Crystallization and Impurity Incorporation

Crystallization is a process where a compound forms a solid crystal from a solution. Typically, impurities that possess different chemical properties than the primary compound are excluded from the crystal lattice. However, if the impurity contains an ion that is chemically identical to the ion in the substance crystallizing from the solution, as is the case with different sodium isotopes, it will be incorporated into the crystal lattice along with the main ion.

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