Scandium-38

Properties and data of the isotope ³⁸Sc.

Contents

General data

Name of the isotope:Scandium-38; Sc-38Symbol:³⁸Sc or 3821ScMass number A:38 (= number of nucleons)Atomic number Z:21 (= number of protons)Neutrons N:17Isotopic mass:37.99544(21) u (atomic weight of Scandium-38)Nuclide mass:37.98392 u (calculated nuclear mass without electrons)Mass excess:-4.24761 MeVMass defect:0.316189244 u (per nucleus)Nuclear binding energy:294.52838365 MeV (per nucleus)
7.75074694 MeV (average binding energy per nucleon)Half-life:300 nsDecay constant λ:2310490.6018665 s^-1Specific activity α:3.760567529729 × 10⁺²⁸ Bq g^-1
1.016369602629 × 10⁺¹⁸ Ci g^-1Spin and parity:
(nuclear angular momentum)(2-)Mirror nucleus:Chlorine-38

Radioactive Decay

Half-life T_½ = 300 ns respectively 3.0 × 10^-7 seconds s.

Decay mode	Daughter	Probability	Decay energy	γ energy (intensity)
p	³⁷Ca	?	0.900 MeV

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
^38mSc

Isotones and Isobars

The following table shows the atomic nuclei that are isotonic (same neutron number N = 17) and isobaric (same nucleon number A = 38) with Scandium-38. Naturally occurring isotopes are marked in green; light green = naturally occurring radionuclides.

Z	Isotone N = 17	Isobar A = 38
7	²⁴N
8	²⁵O
9	²⁶F
10	²⁷Ne
11	²⁸Na	³⁸Na
12	²⁹Mg	³⁸Mg
13	³⁰Al	³⁸Al
14	³¹Si	³⁸Si
15	³²P	³⁸P
16	³³S	³⁸S
17	³⁴Cl	³⁸Cl
18	³⁵Ar	³⁸Ar
19	³⁶K	³⁸K
20	³⁷Ca	³⁸Ca
21	³⁸Sc	³⁸Sc
22	³⁹Ti	³⁸Ti
23	⁴⁰V
24	⁴¹Cr
25	⁴²Mn