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Magnesium-26

Properties and data of the isotope 26Mg.


Contents

 

Magnesium-26 isotope

Magnesium-26 is a stable isotope of the chemical element magnesium, which has 14 neutrons in its atomic nucleus in addition to the element-specific 12 protons; the sum of the number of these atomic nucleus building blocks results in a mass number of 26.26Mg is one of the three isotopes that make up the earth's natural magnesium deposits (see below).

In 1920, the physicist Arthur Jeffrey Dempster described the isotopic composition of magnesium for the first time. For his experiments, he used an apparatus for positive ray analysis; the cylindrical anode contained the magnesium and was irradiated with electrons [1].

See also: list of Magnesium isotopes.

 

General data

Name of the isotope:Magnesium-26; Mg-26Symbol:26Mg or 2612MgMass number A:26 (= number of nucleons)Atomic number Z:12 (= number of protons)Neutrons N:14Isotopic mass:25.9825930(2) u (atomic weight of Magnesium-26)Nuclide mass:25.9760101 u (calculated nuclear mass without electrons)Mass excess:-16.21452 MeVMass defect:0.232616208 u (per nucleus)Nuclear binding energy:216.68060205 MeV (per nucleus)
8.33386931 MeV (average binding energy per nucleon)
Separation energy:SN = 11.09308(4) MeV (first neutron)
SP = 14.1457(12) MeV (first proton)
Half-life:stableSpin and parity:
(nuclear angular momentum)
0+Charge radius:3.0337(18) femtometer fmMirror nucleus:Silicon-26Year of discovery:1920

 

Parent Nuclides

Direct parent isotopes are: 26Al, 26Na, 27Na.

 

Occurrence

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

 

Atomic Mass maQuantityHalf-lifeSpin
Magnesium
Isotopic mixture
24.305 u100 %
Isotope 24Mg23.98504170(9) u78.965(49) %
[78.88 - 79.05 %]
stable0+
Isotope 25Mg24.9858370(3) u10.011 %
[9.988 - 10.034 %]
stable5/2+
Isotope 26Mg25.9825930(2) u11.024 %
[10.96 - 11.09 %]
stable0+

 

Isotones and Isobars

The following table shows the atomic nuclei that are isotonic (same neutron number N = 14) and isobaric (same nucleon number A = 26) with Magnesium-26. Naturally occurring isotopes are marked in green; light green = naturally occurring radionuclides.

 

ZIsotone N = 14Isobar A = 26
519B
620C
721N
822O26O
923F26F
1024Ne26Ne
1125Na26Na
1226Mg26Mg
1327Al26Al
1428Si26Si
1529P26P
1630S26S
1731Cl
1832Ar
1933K
2034Ca

 

External data and identifiers

Adopted Levels, Gammas:NuDat 26Mg

 

Literature and References

[1] - A. J. Dempster:
Positive Ray Analysis of Lithium and Magnesium.
In: Physical Review, 18, 415, (1921), DOI 10.1103/PhysRev.18.415.

 


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Last update: 2024-11-06


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