Question

Hershey and chase used the 35s isotope to label proteins. how does this isotope differ from the 32s isotope found in greatest natural abundance, and why did they choose 35s instead of 32s?

Answer 1

32s isotope has stable have life while 35s has an half life of 87 days.

Step-by-step explanation:

In their experiments, they decided to use the 35s isotope instead of the 32s isotope because the 32s isotope has a stable half life while 35s is not stable. The 32s isotope does not decay and has never been observed to decay and as such it is not a good option for the experiment. Unlike the other radioactive isotopes of sulfur, the 35s isotope has a half life of approximately 87 days. Therefore, it is suitable for the experiment. That was why it was chosen.

Answer 2

For the answer to the question above, "35S has more neutrons than 32S; Hershey and Chase used it because it is radioactive and can be easily traced" is the way this isotope differ from the 32S isotope found in greatest natural abundance and this is why they chose 35S instead of 32S.