Which isotope is a fission product (not a gas)?

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Multiple Choice

Which isotope is a fission product (not a gas)?

Explanation:
Fission products are the fragments created when a heavy nucleus splits, and many of them are radioactive solids rather than gases. Xenon-133 is a known fission product that is a gas, so it doesn’t fit the “not a gas” part of the prompt. Cesium-137 is a classic non-gaseous fission fragment that exists as a solid material and is widely discussed in radiation protection contexts. It has a long half-life (about 30 years) and decays by beta emission to metastable barium-137, which then decays to stable barium-137. While iodine isotopes can also be fission fragments, the question’s emphasis on not being a gas points to cesium-137 as the best example among the options.

Fission products are the fragments created when a heavy nucleus splits, and many of them are radioactive solids rather than gases. Xenon-133 is a known fission product that is a gas, so it doesn’t fit the “not a gas” part of the prompt. Cesium-137 is a classic non-gaseous fission fragment that exists as a solid material and is widely discussed in radiation protection contexts. It has a long half-life (about 30 years) and decays by beta emission to metastable barium-137, which then decays to stable barium-137. While iodine isotopes can also be fission fragments, the question’s emphasis on not being a gas points to cesium-137 as the best example among the options.

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