Calcium-46

Properties and data of the isotope ⁴⁶Ca.

Contents

See also: List of individual Calcium isotopes (and general data sources).

General data

Name of the isotope:Calcium-46; Ca-46Symbol:⁴⁶Ca or 4620CaMass number A:46 (= number of nucleons)Atomic number Z:20 (= number of protons)Neutrons N:26Nucleon pairing (Z - N):even - evenNuclear ratio (N/Z ratio):1.3 (= neutron-proton ratio)Neutron excess (N-Z):6Isotopic mass:45.95369(2) u (atomic weight of Calcium-46)Nuclide mass:45.9427186 u (calculated nuclear mass without electrons)Mass excess:-43.13749 MeVMass defect:0.42809845599999 u (per nucleus)Nuclear binding energy:398.77114317 MeV (per nucleus)
8.6689379 MeV (average binding energy per nucleon)Separation energy:S_N = 10.3985(23) MeV (first neutron)
S_P = 13.8127(23) MeV (first proton)Half-life:stableSpin and parity:
(nuclear angular momentum)0+Charge radius:3.4953(20) femtometer fmMirror nucleus:Iron-46Year of discovery:1938

Parent Nuclides

Direct parent isotope is: ⁴⁶K.

Occurrence

Comparison of the natural Calcium isotopes including isotopic abundance (mole fraction of the isotope mixture in percent):

	Atomic Mass m_a	Quantity	Half-life	Spin
Calcium Isotopic mixture	40.078 u	100 %
Isotope ⁴⁰Ca	39.9625909(2) u	96.941(156) %	stable	0+
Isotope ⁴¹Ca	40.96227792(15) u	[trace]	9.94(15) × 10⁴ a	7/2-
Isotope ⁴²Ca	41.958618(1) u	0.647(23) %	stable	0+
Isotope ⁴⁴Ca	43.955482(2) u	2.086(110) %	stable	0+
Isotope ⁴⁶Ca	45.95369(2) u	0.004(3) %	stable	0+
Isotope ⁴⁸Ca	47.952522654(19) u	0.187(21) %	5.3 × 10¹⁹ a	0+
Isotope ⁴³Ca	42.95876638(24) u	0.135(10) %	stable	7/2-

Isotones and Isobars

The following table shows the atomic nuclei that are isotonic (same neutron number N = 26) and isobaric (same nucleon number A = 46) with Calcium-46. Naturally occurring isotopes are marked in green; light green = naturally occurring radionuclides.

Z	Isotone N = 26	Isobar A = 46
11	³⁷Na
12	³⁸Mg
13	³⁹Al
14	⁴⁰Si
15	⁴¹P	⁴⁶P
16	⁴²S	⁴⁶S
17	⁴³Cl	⁴⁶Cl
18	⁴⁴Ar	⁴⁶Ar
19	⁴⁵K	⁴⁶K
20	⁴⁶Ca	⁴⁶Ca
21	⁴⁷Sc	⁴⁶Sc
22	⁴⁸Ti	⁴⁶Ti
23	⁴⁹V	⁴⁶V
24	⁵⁰Cr	⁴⁶Cr
25	⁵¹Mn	⁴⁶Mn
26	⁵²Fe	⁴⁶Fe
27	⁵³Co	⁴⁶Co
28	⁵⁴Ni
29	⁵⁵Cu
30	⁵⁶Zn