Naturally occurring

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...

(₃₀Zn) is composed of the 5 stable

isotope Isotopes are two or more types of atoms that have the same atomic number (number of protons in their nuclei) and position in the periodic table (and hence belong to the same chemical element), and that differ in nucleon numbers ( mass num ...

s ⁶⁴Zn, ⁶⁶Zn, ⁶⁷Zn, ⁶⁸Zn, and ⁷⁰Zn with ⁶⁴Zn being the most abundant (48.6% natural abundance). Twenty-five

radioisotope A radionuclide (radioactive nuclide, radioisotope or radioactive isotope) is a nuclide that has excess nuclear energy, making it unstable. This excess energy can be used in one of three ways: emitted from the nucleus as gamma radiation; transferr ...

s have been characterised with the most abundant and stable being ⁶⁵Zn with a

half-life Half-life (symbol ) is the time required for a quantity (of substance) to reduce to half of its initial value. The term is commonly used in nuclear physics to describe how quickly unstable atoms undergo radioactive decay or how long stable ...

of 244.26 days, and ⁷²Zn with a half-life of 46.5 hours. All of the remaining

radioactive Radioactive decay (also known as nuclear decay, radioactivity, radioactive disintegration, or nuclear disintegration) is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. A material containing unstable nuclei is consi ...

isotopes have half-lives that are less than 14 hours and the majority of these have half-lives that are less than 1 second. This element also has 10

meta state A nuclear isomer is a metastable state of an atomic nucleus, in which one or more nucleons (protons or neutrons) occupy higher energy levels than in the ground state of the same nucleus. "Metastable" describes nuclei whose excited states have ...

s. Zinc has been proposed as a " salting" material for

nuclear weapon A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bomb ...

s. A jacket of isotopically enriched ⁶⁴Zn, irradiated by the intense high-energy neutron flux from an exploding

thermonuclear weapon A thermonuclear weapon, fusion weapon or hydrogen bomb (H bomb) is a second-generation nuclear weapon design. Its greater sophistication affords it vastly greater destructive power than first-generation nuclear bombs, a more compact size, a lo ...

, would transmute into the radioactive isotope ⁶⁵Zn with a half-life of 244 days and produce approximately 1.115 MeV of

gamma radiation A gamma ray, also known as gamma radiation (symbol γ or \gamma), is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei. It consists of the shortest wavelength electromagnetic waves, typically s ...

, significantly increasing the radioactivity of the weapon's

fallout Nuclear fallout is the residual radioactive material propelled into the upper atmosphere following a nuclear blast, so called because it "falls out" of the sky after the explosion and the shock wave has passed. It commonly refers to the radioac ...

for several years. Such a weapon is not known to have ever been built, tested, or used.

List of isotopes

, - , ⁵⁴Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 24 , 53.99295(43)# , 1.59 ms , 2p , ⁵²Ni , 0+ , , , - , rowspan=2, ⁵⁵Zn , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 30 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 25 , rowspan=2, 54.98398(27)# , rowspan=2, 20# ms 1.6 μs, 2p , ⁵³Ni , rowspan=2, 5/2−# , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺ , ⁵⁵Cu , - , ⁵⁶Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 26 , 55.97238(28)# , 36(10) ms , β⁺ , ⁵⁶Cu , 0+ , , , - , rowspan=2, ⁵⁷Zn , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 30 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 27 , rowspan=2, 56.96479(11)# , rowspan=2, 38(4) ms , β⁺, p (65%) , ⁵⁶Ni , rowspan=2, 7/2−# , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺ (35%) , ⁵⁷Cu , - , rowspan=2, ⁵⁸Zn , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 30 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 28 , rowspan=2, 57.95459(5) , rowspan=2, 84(9) ms , β⁺, p (60%) , ⁵⁷Ni , rowspan=2, 0+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺ (40%) , ⁵⁸Cu , - , rowspan=2, ⁵⁹Zn , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 30 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 29 , rowspan=2, 58.94926(4) , rowspan=2, 182.0(18) ms , β⁺ (99%) , ⁵⁹Cu , rowspan=2, 3/2− , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺, p (1%) , ⁵⁸Ni , - , ⁶⁰ZnFinal product of the silicon-burning process; its production is endothermic and accelerates the star's collapse , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 30 , 59.941827(11) , 2.38(5) min , β⁺ , ⁶⁰Cu , 0+ , , , - , ⁶¹Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 31 , 60.939511(17) , 89.1(2) s , β⁺ , ⁶¹Cu , 3/2− , , , - , style="text-indent:1em" , ^61m1Zn , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 88.4(1) keV , <430 ms , , , 1/2− , , , - , style="text-indent:1em" , ^61m2Zn , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 418.10(15) keV , 140(70) ms , , , 3/2− , , , - , style="text-indent:1em" , ^61m3Zn , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 756.02(18) keV , <130 ms , , , 5/2− , , , - , ⁶²Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 32 , 61.934330(11) , 9.186(13) h , β⁺ , ⁶²Cu , 0+ , , , - , ⁶³Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 33 , 62.9332116(17) , 38.47(5) min , β⁺ , ⁶³Cu , 3/2− , , , - , ⁶⁴Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 34 , 63.9291422(7) , colspan=3 align=center,

Observationally Stable Stable nuclides are nuclides that are not radioactive and so (unlike radionuclides) do not spontaneously undergo radioactive decay. When such nuclides are referred to in relation to specific elements, they are usually termed stable isotopes. Th ...

Believed to undergo β⁺β⁺ decay to ⁶⁴Ni with a half-life over 2.3×10¹⁸ a , 0+ , 0.4917(75) , , - , ⁶⁵Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 35 , 64.9292410(7) , 243.66(9) d , β⁺ , ⁶⁵Cu , 5/2− , , , - , style="text-indent:1em" , ^65mZn , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 53.928(10) keV , 1.6(6) μs , , , (1/2)− , , , - , ⁶⁶Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 36 , 65.9260334(10) , colspan=3 align=center, Stable , 0+ , 0.2773(98) , , - , ⁶⁷Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 37 , 66.9271273(10) , colspan=3 align=center, Stable , 5/2− , 0.0404(16) , , - , ⁶⁸Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 38 , 67.9248442(10) , colspan=3 align=center, Stable , 0+ , 0.1845(63) , , - , ⁶⁹Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 39 , 68.9265503(10) , 56.4(9) min , β⁻ , ⁶⁹Ga , 1/2− , , , - , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^69mZn , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 438.636(18) keV , rowspan=2, 13.76(2) h , IT (96.7%) , ⁶⁹Zn , rowspan=2, 9/2+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻ (3.3%) , ⁶⁹Ga , - , ⁷⁰Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 40 , 69.9253193(21) , colspan=3 align=center, Observationally StableBelieved to undergo β⁻β⁻ decay to ⁷⁰Ge with a half-life over 1.3×10¹⁶ a , 0+ , 0.0061(10) , , - , ⁷¹Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 41 , 70.927722(11) , 2.45(10) min , β⁻ , ⁷¹Ga , 1/2− , , , - , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^71mZn , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 157.7(13) keV , rowspan=2, 3.96(5) h , β⁻ (99.95%) , ⁷¹Ga , rowspan=2, 9/2+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , IT (.05%) , ⁷¹Zn , - , ⁷²Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 42 , 71.926858(7) , 46.5(1) h , β⁻ , ⁷²Ga , 0+ , , , - , ⁷³Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 43 , 72.92978(4) , 23.5(10) s , β⁻ , ⁷³Ga , (1/2)− , , , - , style="text-indent:1em" , ^73m1Zn , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 195.5(2) keV , 13.0(2) ms , , , (5/2+) , , , - , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^73m2Zn , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 237.6(20) keV , rowspan=2, 5.8(8) s , β⁻ , ⁷³Ga , rowspan=2, (7/2+) , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , IT , ⁷³Zn , - , ⁷⁴Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 44 , 73.92946(5) , 95.6(12) s , β⁻ , ⁷⁴Ga , 0+ , , , - , ⁷⁵Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 45 , 74.93294(8) , 10.2(2) s , β⁻ , ⁷⁵Ga , (7/2+)# , , , - , ⁷⁶Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 46 , 75.93329(9) , 5.7(3) s , β⁻ , ⁷⁶Ga , 0+ , , , - , ⁷⁷Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 47 , 76.93696(13) , 2.08(5) s , β⁻ , ⁷⁷Ga , (7/2+)# , , , - , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^77mZn , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 772.39(12) keV , rowspan=2, 1.05(10) s , IT (50%) , ⁷⁷Zn , rowspan=2, 1/2−# , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻ (50%) , ⁷⁷Ga , - , ⁷⁸Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 48 , 77.93844(10) , 1.47(15) s , β⁻ , ⁷⁸Ga , 0+ , , , - , style="text-indent:1em" , ^78mZn , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 2673(1) keV , 319(9) ns , , , (8+) , , , - , rowspan=2, ⁷⁹Zn , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 30 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 49 , rowspan=2, 78.94265(28)# , rowspan=2, 0.995(19) s , β⁻ (98.7%) , ⁷⁹Ga , rowspan=2, (9/2+) , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻, n (1.3%) , ⁷⁸Ga , - , rowspan=2, ⁸⁰Zn , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 30 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 50 , rowspan=2, 79.94434(18) , rowspan=2, 545(16) ms , β⁻ (99%) , ⁸⁰Ga , rowspan=2, 0+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻, n (1%) , ⁷⁹Ga , - , rowspan=2, ⁸¹Zn , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 30 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 51 , rowspan=2, 80.95048(32)# , rowspan=2, 290(50) ms , β⁻ (92.5%) , ⁸¹Ga , rowspan=2, 5/2+# , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻, n (7.5%) , ⁸⁰Ga , - , ⁸²Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 52 , 81.95442(54)# , 100# ms 300 ns, β⁻ , ⁸²Ga , 0+ , , , - , ⁸³Zn , style="text-align:right" , 30 , style="text-align:right" , 53 , 82.96103(54)# , 80# ms 300 ns, , , 5/2+# , ,

References

* Isotope masses from: ** * Isotopic compositions and standard atomic masses from: ** ** * Half-life, spin, and isomer data selected from the following sources. ** ** **

External links

Zinc isotopes data from ''The Berkeley Laboratory Isotopes Project's''
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Zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...