Iron-52

Properties and data of the isotope ⁵²Fe.

Contents

General data

Name of the isotope:Iron-52; Fe-52Symbol:⁵²Fe or 5226FeMass number A:52 (= number of nucleons)Atomic number Z:26 (= number of protons)Neutrons N:26Isotopic mass:51.948115(5) u (atomic weight of Iron-52)Nuclide mass:51.9338523 u (calculated nuclear mass without electrons)Mass excess:-48.33057 MeVMass defect:0.480623648 u (per nucleus)Nuclear binding energy:447.69804437 MeV (per nucleus)
8.60957778 MeV (average binding energy per nucleon)Separation energy:S_N = 16.199(10) MeV (first neutron)
S_P = 7.375(5) MeV (first proton)Half-life:8.275(8) hDecay constant λ:2.326778048203 × 10^-5 s^-1Specific activity α:2.747487285508 × 10⁺¹⁷ Bq g^-1
7425641.3121849 Ci g^-1Spin and parity:
(nuclear angular momentum)0+Year of discovery:1948

Radioactive Decay

Half-life T_½ = 8.275(8) h (hours) respectively 2.9790 × 10⁴ seconds s.

Decay mode	Daughter	Probability	Decay energy	γ energy (intensity)
β⁺	⁵²Mn	100 %	2.377(5) MeV

Parent Nuclides

Direct parent isotope is: ⁵²Co.

Nuclear Isomers

Nuclear isomers or excited states with the activation energy in keV related to the ground state.

Nuclear Isomer	Excitation Energy	Half-life	Spin
^52mFe	6958.0(4) keV	45.9(6) s	12+

Isotones and Isobars

The following table shows the atomic nuclei that are isotonic (same neutron number N = 26) and isobaric (same nucleon number A = 52) with Iron-52. Naturally occurring isotopes are marked in green; light green = naturally occurring radionuclides.

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