Isotopes of argon

Isotope data

Argon isotopes are used asrecursors in the production of radioisotopes. Ar-40 and Ar-38 are used in the production of radioactive K-38 which can be used as a blood flow tracer. Ar-40 is used in the production of radioactive Ar-41 which is used to trace gas flows. Argon isotopes can be obtained from Trace Sciences International.

Naturally occurring isotopes

This table shows information about naturally occuring isotopes, their atomic masses, their natural abundances, their nuclear spins, and their magnetic moments. Further data for radioisotopes (radioactive isotopes) of argon are listed (including any which occur naturally) below.
Isotope Atomic mass (ma/u) Natural abundance (atom %) Nuclear spin (I) Magnetic moment (μ/μN)
36Ar 35.96754552 (29) 0.3365 (30) 0 0
38Ar37.9627325 (9) 0.0632 (5) 0 0
40Ar 39.9623837 (14) 99.6003 (30) 0 0

Isotopic abundances of Ar
In the above picture, the most intense ion is set to 100% since this corresponds best to the output from a mass spectrometer. This is not to be confused with the relative percentage isotope abundances whictotal 100% for all the naturally occurring isotopes.

Radiosotope data

Further data for naturally occuring isotopes of argon are listed above. This table gives information about some radiosotopes of argon, their masses, their half-lives, their modesf decay, their nuclear spins, and their nuclear magnetic moments.
Isotope Mass Half-life Mode of decay Nuclear spin Nuclear magnetic moment
35Ar 34.975257 1.77 s EC to 35Cl 3/2 0.633
37Ar36.966776 35.0 d EC to 37Cl 3/2 1.15
39Ar 38.962314 268 y β- to 39K 7/2 -1.3
41Ar 40.964501 1.82 h β- to 41K 7/2
42Ar 41.9650 33 y β- to 42K 0
43Ar 42.9657 5.4 m β- to 43K
44Ar 43.963650 11.87 m β- to 44K 0

Sheffield ChemPuter isotope pattern calculator

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References

  1. Naturally occurring isotope abundances: Commission on Atomic Weights and Isotopic Abundances report for the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry in Isotopic Compositions of the Elements 1989, Pure and Applied Chemistry, 1998, 70
  2. Masses, nuclear spins, and magnetic moments: I. Mills, T. Cvitas, K. Homann, N. Kallay, and K. Kuchitsu in Quantities, Units and Symbols in Physical Chemistry, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, UK, 1988. [Copyright 1988 IUPAC]
  3. For further information about radioisotopes see Jonghwa Chang's (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) Table of the Nuclides

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argon atomic number