Isotopes of Protactinium

Isotopes Of Protactinium

Protactinium (Pa) has no stable isotopes. There are three naturally occurring isotopes, allowing a standard mass to be given.

Standard atomic mass: 231.03588(2) u

29 radioisotopes of protactinium have been characterized, with the most stable being 231Pa with a half-life of 32,760 years, 233Pa with a half-life of 26.967 days, and 230Pa with a half-life of 17.4 days. All of the remaining radioactive isotopes have half-lives that are less than 1.6 days, and the majority of these have half-lives that are less than 1.8 seconds. This element also has 3 meta states, 217mPa (t½ 1.15 milliseconds), 229mPa (t½ 420 nanoseconds), and 234mPa (t½ 1.17 minutes).

The only naturally occurring isotopes are 231Pa, which occurs as an intermediate decay product of 235U, 234Pa and 234mPa, both of which occur as intermediate decay products of 238U. 231Pa makes up nearly all natural protactinium.

The primary decay mode for isotopes of Pa lighter than (and including) the most stable isotope 231Pa is alpha decay, except for 228Pa to 230Pa, which primarily decay by electron capture to isotopes of thorium. The primary mode for the heavier isotopes is beta minus (β-) decay. The primary decay products of 231Pa and isotopes of Pa lighter than (and including 227Pa) are isotopes of actinium and the primary decay products for the heavier isotopes of Pa are isotopes of uranium.

Read more about Isotopes Of Protactinium:  Protactinium-230, Protactinium-231, Protactinium-233, Table