Naturally occurring

europium Europium is a chemical element; it has symbol Eu and atomic number 63. It is a silvery-white metal of the lanthanide series that reacts readily with air to form a dark oxide coating. Europium is the most chemically reactive, least dense, and soft ...

(₆₃Eu) is composed of two

isotope Isotopes are distinct nuclear species (or ''nuclides'') of the same chemical element. They have the same atomic number (number of protons in their Atomic nucleus, nuclei) and position in the periodic table (and hence belong to the same chemica ...

s, ¹⁵¹Eu and ¹⁵³Eu, with ¹⁵³Eu being the most abundant (52.2%

natural abundance In physics, natural abundance (NA) refers to the abundance of isotopes of a chemical element as naturally found on a planet. The relative atomic mass (a weighted average, weighted by mole-fraction abundance figures) of these isotopes is the ato ...

). While ¹⁵³Eu is observationally stable (theoretically can undergo

alpha decay Alpha decay or α-decay is a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle (helium nucleus). The parent nucleus transforms or "decays" into a daughter product, with a mass number that is reduced by four and an a ...

with half-life over 5.5×10¹⁷ years), ¹⁵¹Eu was found in 2007 to be unstable and undergo

. The

half-life Half-life is a mathematical and scientific description of exponential or gradual decay. Half-life, half life or halflife may also refer to: Film * Half-Life (film), ''Half-Life'' (film), a 2008 independent film by Jennifer Phang * ''Half Life: ...

is measured to be (4.62 ± 0.95(stat.) ± 0.68(syst.)) × 10¹⁸ years which corresponds to 1 alpha decay per two minutes in every kilogram of natural europium. Besides the natural radioisotope ¹⁵¹Eu, 36 artificial radioisotopes have been characterized, with the most stable being ¹⁵⁰Eu with a

of 36.9 years, ¹⁵²Eu with a half-life of 13.516 years, ¹⁵⁴Eu with a half-life of 8.593 years, and ¹⁵⁵Eu with a half-life of 4.7612 years. The majority 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 conside ...

isotopes, which range from ¹³⁰Eu to ¹⁷⁰Eu, have half-lives that are less than 12.2 seconds. This element also has 18

metastable isomers A nuclear isomer is a metastable state of an atomic nucleus, in which one or more nucleons (protons or neutrons) occupy excited state levels (higher energy levels). "Metastable" describes nuclei whose excited states have half-lives of 10−9 seco ...

, with the most stable being ^150mEu (t_1/2 12.8 hours), ^152m1Eu (t_1/2 9.3116 hours) and ^152m5Eu (t_1/2 96 minutes). The primary

decay mode 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 conside ...

before the most abundant stable isotope, ¹⁵³Eu, is

electron capture Electron capture (K-electron capture, also K-capture, or L-electron capture, L-capture) is a process in which the proton-rich nucleus of an electrically neutral atom absorbs an inner atomic electron, usually from the K or L electron shells. Th ...

, and the primary mode after is

beta decay In nuclear physics, beta decay (β-decay) is a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits a beta particle (fast energetic electron or positron), transforming into an isobar of that nuclide. For example, beta decay of a neutron ...

. The primary

decay product In nuclear physics, a decay product (also known as a daughter product, daughter isotope, radio-daughter, or daughter nuclide) is the remaining nuclide left over from radioactive decay. Radioactive decay often proceeds via a sequence of steps ( d ...

s before ¹⁵³Eu are

isotopes of samarium Naturally occurring samarium (62Sm) is composed of five stable isotopes, 144Sm, 149Sm, 150Sm, 152Sm and 154Sm, and two extremely long-lived radioisotopes, 147Sm (half life: 1.066 y) and 148Sm (6.3 y), with 152Sm being the most abundant ( ...

and the primary products after are

isotopes of gadolinium Naturally occurring gadolinium (64Gd) is composed of 6 stable isotopes, 154Gd, 155Gd, 156Gd, 157Gd, 158Gd and 160Gd, and 1 radioisotope, 152Gd, with 158Gd being the most abundant (24.84% natural abundance). The predicted double beta decay of 1 ...

List of isotopes

, -id=Europium-130 , ¹³⁰Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 67 , 129.96402(58)# , 1.0(4) ms , p , ¹²⁹Sm , (1+) , , , -id=Europium-131 , rowspan=3, ¹³¹Eu , rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=3 style="text-align:right" , 68 , rowspan=3, 130.95763(43)# , rowspan=3, 17.8(19) ms , p (89%) , ¹³⁰Sm , rowspan=3, 3/2+ , rowspan=3, , rowspan=3, , - , β⁺ (?%) , ¹³¹Sm , - , β⁺, p (?%) , ¹³⁰Pm , -id=Europium-134 , rowspan=2, ¹³⁴Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 71 , rowspan=2, 133.94654(32)# , rowspan=2, 0.5(2) s , β⁺ , ¹³⁴Sm , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺, p (?%) , ¹³³Pm , -id=Europium-135 , ¹³⁵Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 72 , 134.94187(21)# , 1.5(2) s , β⁺ , ¹³⁵Sm , 5/2+# , , , -id=Europium-136 , rowspan=2, ¹³⁶Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 73 , rowspan=2, 135.93962(21)# , rowspan=2, 3.3(3) s , β⁺ (99.91%) , ¹³⁶Sm , rowspan=2, 6+# , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺, p (0.09%) , ¹³⁵Pm , -id=Europium-136m , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^136mEuOrder of ground state and isomer is uncertain. , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 100(100)# keV , rowspan=2, 3.8(3) s , β⁺ (99.91%) , ¹³⁶Sm , rowspan=2, 1+# , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺, p (0.09%) , ¹³⁵Pm , -id=Europium-137 , ¹³⁷Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 74 , 136.9354307(47) , 8.4(5) s , β⁺ , ¹³⁷Sm , 5/2+# , , , -id=Europium-138 , ¹³⁸Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 75 , 137.933709(30) , 5# s , , , 2−# , , , -id=Europium-138m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^138mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 100(50)# keV , 12.1(6) s , β⁺ , ¹³⁸Sm , 7−# , , , -id=Europium-139 , ¹³⁹Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 76 , 138.929792(14) , 17.9(6) s , β⁺ , ¹³⁹Sm , (11/2)− , , , -id=Europium-139m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^139mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 148.3(3) keV , 10(2) μs , IT , ¹³⁹Eu , (7/2+) , , , -id=Europium-140 , rowspan=2, ¹⁴⁰Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 77 , rowspan=2, 139.928088(55) , rowspan=2, 1.51(2) s , β⁺ (95.1%) , rowspan=2, ¹⁴⁰Sm , rowspan=2, 1+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , EC (4.9%) , -id=Europium-140m1 , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^140m1Eu , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 210(14) keV , rowspan=2, 125(2) ms , IT (>99%) , ¹⁴⁰Eu , rowspan=2, (5−) , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺ (>1%) , ¹⁴⁰Sm , -id=Europium-140m2 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^140m2Eu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 669(14) keV , 299.8(21) ns , IT , ¹⁴⁰Eu , (8+) , , , -id=Europium-141 , ¹⁴¹Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 78 , 140.924932(14) , 40.7(7) s , β⁺ , ¹⁴¹Sm , 5/2+ , , , -id=Europium-141m , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^141mEu , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 96.45(7) keV , rowspan=2, 2.7(3) s , IT (86%) , ¹⁴¹Eu , rowspan=2, 11/2− , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺ (14%) , ¹⁴¹Sm , -id=Europium-142 , rowspan=2, ¹⁴²Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 79 , rowspan=2, 141.923447(32) , rowspan=2, 2.36(10) s , β⁺ (89.9%) , ¹⁴²Sm , rowspan=2, 1+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , EC (11.1%) , ¹⁴²Sm , -id=Europium-142m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^142mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 450(30) keV , 1.223(8) min , β⁺ , ¹⁴²Sm , 8− , , , -id=Europium-143 , ¹⁴³Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 80 , 142.920299(12) , 2.59(2) min , β⁺ , ¹⁴³Sm , 5/2+ , , , -id=Europium-143m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^143mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 389.51(4) keV , 50.0(5) μs , IT , ¹⁴³Eu , 11/2− , , , -id=Europium-144 , ¹⁴⁴Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 81 , 143.918819(12) , 10.2(1) s , β⁺ , ¹⁴⁴Sm , 1+ , , , -id=Europium-144m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^144mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 1127.6(6) keV , 1.0(1) μs , IT , ¹⁴⁴Eu , 8− , , , -id=Europium-145 , ¹⁴⁵Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 82 , 144.9162727(33) , 5.93(4) d , β⁺ , ¹⁴⁵Sm , 5/2+ , , , -id=Europium-145m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^145mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 716.0(3) keV , 490(30) ns , IT , ¹⁴⁵Eu , 11/2− , , , -id=Europium-146 , ¹⁴⁶Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 83 , 145.9172109(65) , 4.61(3) d , β⁺ , ¹⁴⁶Sm , 4− , , , -id=Europium-146m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^146mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 666.33(11) keV , 235(3) μs , IT , ¹⁴⁶Eu , 9+ , , , -id=Europium-147 , rowspan=2, ¹⁴⁷Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 84 , rowspan=2, 146.9167524(28) , rowspan=2, 24.1(6) d , β⁺ , ''¹⁴⁷Sm'' , rowspan=2, 5/2+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , α (0.0022%) , ¹⁴³Pm , -id=Europium-147m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^147mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 625.27(5) keV , 765(15) ns , IT , ¹⁴⁷Eu , 11/2− , , , -id=Europium-148 , rowspan=2, ¹⁴⁸Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 85 , rowspan=2, 147.918091(11) , rowspan=2, 54.5(5) d , β⁺ , ''¹⁴⁸Sm'' , rowspan=2, 5− , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , α (9.4×10⁻⁷%) , ¹⁴⁴Pm , -id=Europium-148m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^148mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 720.4(3) keV , 162(8) ns , IT , ¹⁴⁸Eu , 9+ , , , -id=Europium-149 , ¹⁴⁹Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 86 , 148.9179369(42) , 93.1(4) d , EC , ¹⁴⁹Sm , 5/2+ , , , -id=Europium-149m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^149mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 496.386(2) keV , 2.45(5) μs , IT , ¹⁴⁹Eu , 11/2− , , , -id=Europium-150 , ¹⁵⁰Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 87 , 149.9197071(67) , 36.9(9) y , β⁺ , ¹⁵⁰Sm , 5− , , , -id=Europium-150m , rowspan=3 style="text-indent:1em" , ^150mEu , rowspan=3 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 41.7(10) keV , rowspan=3, 12.8(1) h , β⁻ (89%) , ¹⁵⁰Gd , rowspan=3, 0− , rowspan=3, , rowspan=3, , - , β⁺ (11%) , ¹⁵⁰Sm , - , IT (<5×10⁻⁸%) , ¹⁵⁰Eu , -id=Europium-151 , ¹⁵¹Eu

Primordial Primordial may refer to: * Primordial era, an era after the Big Bang. See Chronology of the universe * Primordial soup, hypothetical conditions under which life on Earth may have begun * Primordial nuclide, nuclides, a few radioactive, that form ...

radionuclide A radionuclide (radioactive nuclide, radioisotope or radioactive isotope) is a nuclide that has excess numbers of either neutrons or protons, giving it excess nuclear energy, and making it unstable. This excess energy can be used in one of three ...

, style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 88 , 150.9198566(13) , 4.6(12)×10¹⁸ y , α , ¹⁴⁷Pm , 5/2+ , 0.4781(6) , , -id=Europium-151m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^151mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 196.245(10) keV , 58.9(5) μs , IT , ''¹⁵¹Eu'' , 11/2− , , , -id=Europium-152 , rowspan=2, ¹⁵²Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 89 , rowspan=2, 151.9217510(13) , rowspan=2, 13.517(6) y , β⁺ (72.08%) , ¹⁵²Sm , rowspan=2, 3− , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻ (27.92%) , ''¹⁵²Gd'' , -id=Europium-152m1 , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^152m1Eu , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 45.5998(4) keV , rowspan=2, 9.3116(13) h , β⁻ (73%) , ''¹⁵²Gd'' , rowspan=2, 0− , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺ (27%) , ¹⁵²Sm , -id=Europium-152m2 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^152m2Eu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 65.2969(4) keV , 940(80) ns , IT , ¹⁵²Eu , 1− , , , -id=Europium-152m3 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^152m3Eu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 78.2331(4) keV , 165(10) ns , IT , ¹⁵²Eu , 1+ , , , -id=Europium-152m4 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^152m4Eu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 89.8496(4) keV , 384(10) ns , IT , ¹⁵²Eu , 4+ , , , -id=Europium-152m5 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^152m5Eu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 147.86(10) keV , 95.8(4) min , IT , ¹⁵²Eu , 8− , , , -id=Europium-153 , ¹⁵³Eu

Fission product Nuclear fission products are the atomic fragments left after a large atomic nucleus undergoes nuclear fission. Typically, a large nucleus like that of uranium fissions by splitting into two smaller nuclei, along with a few neutrons, the releas ...

, style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 90 , 152.9212368(13) , colspan=3 align=center,

Observationally Stable Stable nuclides are isotopes of a chemical element whose nucleons are in a configuration that does not permit them the surplus energy required to produce a radioactive emission. The nuclei of such isotopes are not radioactive and unlike radionuc ...

Believed to undergo α decay to ¹⁴⁹Pm with a half-life over , 5/2+ , 0.5219(6) , , -id=Europium-153m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^153mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 1771.0(4) keV , 475(10) ns , IT , ¹⁵³Eu , 19/2− , , , -id=Europium-154 , rowspan=2, ¹⁵⁴Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 91 , rowspan=2, 153.9229857(13) , rowspan=2, 8.592(3) y , β⁻ (99.98%) , ¹⁵⁴Gd , rowspan=2, 3− , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , EC (0.018%) , ¹⁵⁴Sm , -id=Europium-154m1 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^154m1Eu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 68.1702(4) keV , 2.2(1) μs , IT , ¹⁵⁴Eu , 2+ , , , -id=Europium-154m2 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^154m2Eu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 145.3(3) keV , 46.3(4) min , IT , ¹⁵⁴Eu , (8−) , , , - , ¹⁵⁵Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 92 , 154.9228998(13) , 4.742(8) y , β⁻ , ¹⁵⁵Gd , 5/2+ , , , -id=Europium-156 , ¹⁵⁶Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 93 , 155.9247630(38) , 15.19(8) d , β⁻ , ¹⁵⁶Gd , 0+ , , , -id=Europium-157 , ¹⁵⁷Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 94 , 156.9254326(45) , 15.18(3) h , β⁻ , ¹⁵⁷Gd , 5/2+ , , , -id=Europium-158 , ¹⁵⁸Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 95 , 157.9277822(22) , 45.9(2) min , β⁻ , ¹⁵⁸Gd , 1− , , , -id=Europium-159 , ¹⁵⁹Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 96 , 158.9290995(46) , 18.1(1) min , β⁻ , ¹⁵⁹Gd , 5/2+ , , , -id=Europium-160 , ¹⁶⁰Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 97 , 159.93183698(97) , 42.6(5) s , β⁻ , ¹⁶⁰Gd , (5−) , , , -id=Europium-160m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^160mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 93.0(12) keV , 30.8(5) s , IT , ¹⁶⁰Eu , (1−) , , , -id=Europium-161 , ¹⁶¹Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 98 , 160.933664(11) , 26.2(23) s , β⁻ , ¹⁶¹Gd , 5/2+# , , , -id=Europium-162 , ¹⁶²Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 99 , 161.9369583(14) , ~10 s , β⁻ , ¹⁶²Gd , 1+# , , , -id=Europium-162m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^162mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 158.0(17) keV , 15.0(5) s , IT , ¹⁶²Eu , (6+) , , , -id=Europium-163 , ¹⁶³Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 100 , 162.93926551(97) , 7.7(4) s , β⁻ , ¹⁶³Gd , 5/2+# , , , -id=Europium-163m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^163mEu , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 964.5(5) keV , 911(24) ns , IT , ¹⁶³Eu , (13/2−) , , , -id=Europium-164 , ¹⁶⁴Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 101 , 163.9428529(22) , 4.16(19) s , β⁻ , ¹⁶⁴Gd , 3−# , , , -id=Europium-165 , ¹⁶⁵Eu , style="text-align:right" , 63 , style="text-align:right" , 102 , 164.9455401(56) , , β⁻ , ¹⁶⁵Gd , 5/2+# , , , -id=Europium-166 , rowspan=2, ¹⁶⁶Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 103 , rowspan=2, 165.94981(11)# , rowspan=2, , β⁻ (99.37%) , ¹⁶⁶Gd , rowspan=2, 0−# , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻, n (0.63%) , ¹⁶⁵Gd , -id=Europium-167 , rowspan=2, ¹⁶⁷Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 104 , rowspan=2, 166.95301(43)# , rowspan=2, , β⁻ (98.05%) , ¹⁶⁷Gd , rowspan=2, 5/2+# , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻, n (1.95%) , ¹⁶⁶Gd , -id=Europium-168 , rowspan=2, ¹⁶⁸Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 105 , rowspan=2, 167.95786(43)# , rowspan=2, , β⁻ (96.05%) , ¹⁶⁸Gd , rowspan=2, 6−# , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻, n (3.95%) , ¹⁶⁷Gd , -id=Europium-169 , rowspan=2, ¹⁶⁹Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 106 , rowspan=2, 168.96172(54)# , rowspan=2, , β⁻ (85.38%) , ¹⁶⁹Gd , rowspan=2, 5/2+# , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻, n (14.62%) , ¹⁶⁸Gd , -id=Europium-170 , rowspan=2, ¹⁷⁰Eu , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 63 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 107 , rowspan=2, 169.96687(54)# , rowspan=2, , β⁻ (>76%) , ¹⁷⁰Gd , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻, n (<24%) , ¹⁶⁹Gd

Europium-155

Europium-155 is a

fission product Nuclear fission products are the atomic fragments left after a large atomic nucleus undergoes nuclear fission. Typically, a large nucleus like that of uranium fissions by splitting into two smaller nuclei, along with a few neutrons, the releas ...

with a

of 4.76 years. It has a maximum

decay energy The decay energy is the energy change of a nucleus having undergone a radioactive decay. Radioactive decay is the process in which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by emitting ionizing particles and radiation. This decay, or loss of energ ...

of 252

keV In physics, an electronvolt (symbol eV), also written electron-volt and electron volt, is the measure of an amount of kinetic energy gained by a single electron accelerating through an electric potential difference of one volt in vacuum. When us ...

. In a

thermal reactor A thermal-neutron reactor is a nuclear reactor that uses slow or thermal neutrons. ("Thermal" does not mean hot in an absolute sense, but means in thermal equilibrium with the medium it is interacting with, the reactor's fuel, moderator and stru ...

(almost all current

nuclear power plant A nuclear power plant (NPP), also known as a nuclear power station (NPS), nuclear generating station (NGS) or atomic power station (APS) is a thermal power station in which the heat source is a nuclear reactor. As is typical of thermal power st ...

s), it has a low

fission product yield Nuclear fission splits a heavy nucleus such as uranium or plutonium into two lighter nuclei, which are called fission products. Yield refers to the fraction of a fission product produced per fission. Yield can be broken down by: # Individual i ...

, about half of one percent as much as the most abundant fission products. ¹⁵⁵Eu's large

neutron capture Neutron capture is a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus and one or more neutrons collide and merge to form a heavier nucleus. Since neutrons have no electric charge, they can enter a nucleus more easily than positively charged protons, wh ...

cross section Cross section may refer to: * Cross section (geometry) ** Cross-sectional views in architecture and engineering 3D *Cross section (geology) * Cross section (electronics) * Radar cross section, measure of detectability * Cross section (physics) **A ...

(about 3900 barns for

thermal neutrons The neutron detection temperature, also called the neutron energy, indicates a free neutron's kinetic energy, usually given in electron volts. The term ''temperature'' is used, since hot, thermal and cold neutrons are moderated in a medium with ...

, 16000

resonance integral Neutron capture is a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus and one or more neutrons collide and merge to form a heavier nucleus. Since neutrons have no electric charge, they can enter a nucleus more easily than positively charged protons, wh ...

) means that most of even the small amount produced is destroyed in the course of the

nuclear fuel Nuclear fuel refers to any substance, typically fissile material, which is used by nuclear power stations or other atomic nucleus, nuclear devices to generate energy. Oxide fuel For fission reactors, the fuel (typically based on uranium) is ...

burnup In nuclear power technology, burnup is a measure of how much energy is extracted from a given amount of nuclear fuel. It may be measured as the fraction of fuel atoms that underwent fission in %FIMA (fissions per initial heavy metal atom) or %FIF ...

. Yield, decay energy, and half-life are all far less than that of ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr, so ¹⁵⁵Eu is not a significant contributor to

nuclear waste Radioactive waste is a type of hazardous waste that contains radioactive material. It is a result of many activities, including nuclear medicine, nuclear research, nuclear power generation, nuclear decommissioning, rare-earth mining, and nuclear ...

. Some ¹⁵⁵Eu is also produced by successive neutron capture on ¹⁵³Eu (nonradioactive, 350 barns thermal, 1500 resonance integral, yield is about 5 times as great as ¹⁵⁵Eu) and ¹⁵⁴Eu (half-life 8.6 years, 1400 barns thermal, 1600 resonance integral, fission yield is extremely small because beta decay stops at ¹⁵⁴Sm). However, the differing cross sections mean that both ¹⁵⁵Eu and ¹⁵⁴Eu are destroyed faster than they are produced. ¹⁵⁴Eu is a prolific emitter of

gamma radiation A gamma ray, also known as gamma radiation (symbol ), is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from high energy interactions like the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei or astronomical events like solar flares. It consists o ...

References

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

Europium Europium is a chemical element; it has symbol Eu and atomic number 63. It is a silvery-white metal of the lanthanide series that reacts readily with air to form a dark oxide coating. Europium is the most chemically reactive, least dense, and soft ...

List of isotopes

Europium-155

See also

References