▁equation : ▁ ▁The ▁sul fur - 3 2 ▁nucle us ▁capt ures ▁the ▁neut ron ▁and ▁em its ▁a ▁pro ton , ▁reducing ▁the ▁atomic ▁number ▁by ▁one ▁while ▁maintain ing ▁the ▁mass ▁number ▁of ▁ 3 2 . ▁ ▁This ▁reaction ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁used ▁to ▁determine ▁the ▁yield ▁of ▁nuclear ▁weapons . ▁ ▁Us es ▁Ph osph orus ▁is ▁abund ant ▁in ▁bi ological ▁systems ▁and , ▁as ▁a ▁radio active ▁is ot ope ▁is ▁almost ▁chem ically ▁identical ▁with ▁stable ▁is ot op es ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁element , ▁ph osph orus - 3 2 ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁label ▁bi ological ▁mole cules . ▁The ▁beta ▁radiation ▁em itted ▁by ▁the ▁ph osph orus - 3 2 ▁is ▁sufficiently ▁pen etr ating ▁to ▁be ▁detected ▁outside ▁the ▁organ ism ▁or ▁t issue ▁which ▁is ▁being ▁anal ys ed ▁ ▁N uc lear ▁medicine ▁Many ▁radio is ot op es ▁are ▁used ▁as ▁trac ers ▁in ▁nuclear ▁medicine , ▁including ▁i od ine - 1 3 1 , ▁ph osph orus - 3 2 , ▁and ▁te ch net ium - 9 9 m . ▁Ph osph orus - 3 2 ▁is ▁of ▁particular ▁use ▁in ▁the ▁identification ▁of ▁m align ant ▁tum ours ▁because ▁cancer ous ▁cells ▁have ▁a ▁t endency ▁to ▁accum ulate ▁more ▁ph osph ate ▁than ▁normal ▁cells . ▁The ▁location ▁of ▁the ▁ph osph orus - 3 2 ▁can ▁be ▁trac ed ▁from ▁outside ▁the ▁body ▁to ▁identify ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁potentially ▁m align