Californium-253

Properties and data of the isotope ²⁵³Cf.

Content

General data

Name of the isotope:Californium-253; Cf-253Symbol:²⁵³Cf or 25398CfMass number A:253 (= number of nucleons)Atomic number Z:98 (= number of protons)Neutrons N:155Isotopic mass:253.085134(5) u (atomic weight of Californium-253)Nuclide mass:253.0313809 u (calculated nuclear mass without electrons)Mass excess:79.30181 MeVMass defect:2.024781116 u (per nucleus)Nuclear binding energy:1886.07146087 MeV (per nucleus)
7.45482791 MeV (average binding energy per nucleon)Separation energy:S_N = 4.804(4) MeV (first neutron)
S_P = 6.52(20) MeV (first proton)Half-life:17.81(8) dDecay constant λ:4.504512527813 × 10^-7 s^-1Specific activity α:1.072205887266 × 10⁺¹⁵ Bq g^-1
28978.537493692 Ci g^-1Spin and parity:
(nuclear angular momentum)(7/2+)Year of discovery:1954

Radioactive Decay

Half-life T_½ = 17.81(8) d respectively 1.538784 × 10⁶ seconds s.

Decay mode	Daughter	Probability	Decay energy	γ energy (intensity)
α	²⁴⁹Cm	0.31(4) %	6.126(4) MeV
β^-	²⁵³Es	99.69(4) %	0.291(4) MeV

Parent Nuclides

Direct parent isotope is: ²⁵⁷Fm.

Isotones and Isobars

The following table shows the atomic nuclei that are isotonic (same neutron number N = 155) and isobaric (same nucleon number A = 253) with Californium-253. Naturally occurring isotopes are marked in green; light green = naturally occurring radionuclides.

OZ	Isotone N = 155	Isobar A = 253
96	²⁵¹Cm
97	²⁵²Bk	²⁵³Bk
98	²⁵³Cf	²⁵³Cf
99	²⁵⁴Es	²⁵³Es
100	²⁵⁵Fm	²⁵³Fm
101	²⁵⁶Md	²⁵³Md
102	²⁵⁷No	²⁵³No
103	²⁵⁸Lr	²⁵³Lr
104	²⁵⁹Rf	²⁵³Rf
105	²⁶⁰Db
106	²⁶¹Sg
107	²⁶²Bh
108	²⁶³Hs