Copper-56

Properties and data of the isotope ⁵⁶Cu.

Contents

General data

Name of the isotope:Copper-56; Cu-56Symbol:⁵⁶Cu or 5629CuMass number A:56 (= number of nucleons)Atomic number Z:29 (= number of protons)Neutrons N:27Isotopic mass:55.958515(16) u (atomic weight of Copper-56)Nuclide mass:55.9426066 u (calculated nuclear mass without electrons)Mass excess:-38.64303 MeVMass defect:0.50236366000001 u (per nucleus)Nuclear binding energy:467.94873511 MeV (per nucleus)
8.35622741 MeV (average binding energy per nucleon)Separation energy:S_N = 15.08(16) MeV (first neutron)
S_P = 0.596(15) MeV (first proton)Half-life:93(3) msDecay constant λ:7.4531954898919 s^-1Specific activity α:8.02097644956 × 10⁺²² Bq g^-1
2167831472855.9 Ci g^-1Spin and parity:
(nuclear angular momentum)(4+)Mirror nucleus:Cobalt-56Year of discovery:1987

Radioactive Decay

Half-life T_½ = 93(3) ms respectively 9.3 × 10^-2 seconds s.

Decay mode	Daughter	Probability	Decay energy	γ energy (intensity)
β⁺	⁵⁶Ni	< 100 %	15.265(15) MeV
p	⁵⁴Ni	0.40(12) %

Isotones and Isobars

The following table shows the atomic nuclei that are isotonic (same neutron number N = 27) and isobaric (same nucleon number A = 56) with Copper-56. Naturally occurring isotopes are marked in green; light green = naturally occurring radionuclides.

Z	Isotone N = 27	Isobar A = 56
11	³⁸Na
12	³⁹Mg
13	⁴⁰Al
14	⁴¹Si
15	⁴²P
16	⁴³S
17	⁴⁴Cl
18	⁴⁵Ar
19	⁴⁶K	⁵⁶K
20	⁴⁷Ca	⁵⁶Ca
21	⁴⁸Sc	⁵⁶Sc
22	⁴⁹Ti	⁵⁶Ti
23	⁵⁰V	⁵⁶V
24	⁵¹Cr	⁵⁶Cr
25	⁵²Mn	⁵⁶Mn
26	⁵³Fe	⁵⁶Fe
27	⁵⁴Co	⁵⁶Co
28	⁵⁵Ni	⁵⁶Ni
29	⁵⁶Cu	⁵⁶Cu
30	⁵⁷Zn	⁵⁶Zn
31	⁵⁸Ga
32	⁵⁹Ge