Calcium-56

Properties and data of the isotope ⁵⁶Ca.

Content

General data

Name of the isotope:Calcium-56; Ca-56Symbol:⁵⁶Ca or 5620CaMass number A:56 (= number of nucleons)Atomic number Z:20 (= number of protons)Neutrons N:36Isotopic mass:55.98508(43) u (atomic weight of Calcium-56)Nuclide mass:55.9741086 u (calculated nuclear mass without electrons)Mass excess:-13.89789 MeVMass defect:0.483357616 u (per nucleus)Nuclear binding energy:450.24471916 MeV (per nucleus)
8.04008427 MeV (average binding energy per nucleon)Separation energy:S_N = 3.62(50) MeV (first neutron)
S_P = 21.89(80) MeV (first proton)Half-life:11(2) msDecay constant λ:69.314718055995 s^-1Specific activity α:7.589509014545 × 10⁺²³ Bq g^-1
20512186525799 Ci g^-1Spin and parity:
(nuclear angular momentum)0+Year of discovery:1997

Radioactive Decay

Half-life T_½ = 11(2) ms respectively 1 × 10^-2 seconds s.

Decay mode	Daughter	Probability	Decay energy	γ energy (intensity)
β^-	⁵⁶Sc	?	10.95(71) MeV
β^-, n	⁵⁵Sc	?	8.19(60) MeV

Isotones and Isobars

The following table shows the atomic nuclei that are isotonic (same neutron number N = 36) and isobaric (same nucleon number A = 56) with Calcium-56. Naturally occurring isotopes are marked in green; light green = naturally occurring radionuclides.

OZ	Isotone N = 36	Isobar A = 56
19	⁵⁵K	⁵⁶K
20	⁵⁶Ca	⁵⁶Ca
21	⁵⁷Sc	⁵⁶Sc
22	⁵⁸Ti	⁵⁶Ti
23	⁵⁹V	⁵⁶V
24	⁶⁰Cr	⁵⁶Cr
25	⁶¹Mn	⁵⁶Mn
26	⁶²Fe	⁵⁶Fe
27	⁶³Co	⁵⁶Co
28	⁶⁴Ni	⁵⁶Ni
29	⁶⁵Cu	⁵⁶Cu
30	⁶⁶Zn	⁵⁶Zn
31	⁶⁷Ga
32	⁶⁸Ge
33	⁶⁹As
34	⁷⁰Se
35	⁷¹Br
36	⁷²Kr
37	⁷³Rb
38	⁷⁴Sr