Scientist use radioactive hydrogen to make water. They grew plants using the radioactive water.what happened to the radioactive hydrogen during photosynthesis?
The radioactive hydrogen referred to in this scenario is likely tritium (³H), a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. When water is made using tritium, it becomes radioactive water (tritiated water). If plants are grown using this radioactive water, they will incorporate the tritium into their tissues during the process of taking up water and nutrients from the soil.
During photosynthesis, plants convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O) into glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) and oxygen (O₂) with the help of sunlight. The reaction is summarized as follows:
6CO₂ + 6H₂O + light energy → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂
In the case where plants are grown using radioactive water containing tritiated water (³H₂O), tritium atoms from the water can be incorporated into the organic compounds synthesized by the plant during photosynthesis. Thus, the radioactive hydrogen, which was part of the water molecule, may end up in the glucose or other organic compounds produced by the plant.
Once incorporated into the plant's organic molecules, the tritium will continue to be radioactive, with the potential to emit low-energy beta particles as it undergoes radioactive decay (with a half-life of approximately 12.3 years). This radioactivity will be present in the plant's tissues, potentially impacting the plant's cellular structures and growth, and can also pose a risk if these plants are consumed by animals or humans.
Scientists using radioactive tritium in experiments like this would be doing so under controlled conditions to understand processes such as water usage, nutrient transport, or metabolic pathways within the plant, and to ensure safety and compliance with environmental and health regulations.