Potassium-46

Properties and data of the isotope ⁴⁶K.

Contents

General data

Name of the isotope:Potassium-46; K-46Symbol:⁴⁶K or 4619KMass number A:46 (= number of nucleons)Atomic number Z:19 (= number of protons)Neutrons N:27Isotopic mass:45.9619816(8) u (atomic weight of Potassium-46)Nuclide mass:45.9515588 u (calculated nuclear mass without electrons)Mass excess:-35.41391 MeVMass defect:0.42064674 u (per nucleus)Nuclear binding energy:391.82991443 MeV (per nucleus)
8.51804162 MeV (average binding energy per nucleon)Separation energy:S_N = 6.8696(9) MeV (first neutron)
S_P = 12.9321(9) MeV (first proton)Half-life:105(10) sDecay constant λ:0.0066014017196185 s^-1Specific activity α:8.834349117460 × 10⁺¹⁹ Bq g^-1
2387661923.6379 Ci g^-1Spin and parity:
(nuclear angular momentum)(2-)Magnetic dipole moment:μ(μ_N) = -1.051(6)Nuclear g-factor:g_l = -0.5255Charge radius:3.4558(126) femtometer fmMirror nucleus:Cobalt-46Year of discovery:1965

Radioactive Decay

Half-life T_½ = 105(10) s respectively 1.05 × 10² seconds s.

Decay mode	Daughter	Probability	Decay energy	γ energy (intensity)
β^-	⁴⁶Ca	100 %	7.7254(23) MeV

Parent Nuclides

Direct parent isotope is: ⁴⁶Ar.

Isotones and Isobars

The following table shows the atomic nuclei that are isotonic (same neutron number N = 27) and isobaric (same nucleon number A = 46) with Potassium-46. Naturally occurring isotopes are marked in green; light green = naturally occurring radionuclides.

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