Notation: mass number as a left superscript (e.g., ³²P).
Columns: Isotope | Z | A | Stable? | Half‑life | Decay mode(s) | Daughter | Radiation | Origin | Uses | Notes.
Backbone data: evaluated NUBASE/AME values as compiled in the Isotopes of phosphorus table; LiveChart/NuDat used as authorities; specific application notes for ³²P/³³P. (Wikipedia, IAEA, National Nuclear Data Center)
| Isotope | Z | A | Stable? | Half‑life | Decay mode(s) | Daughter | Radiation | Origin | Uses | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ²⁶P | 15 | 26 | Unstable | 43.6(3) ms | β⁺ 62.9%; β⁺p 35.1%; β⁺2p 1.99% | ²⁶Si; ²⁵Al; ²⁴Mg | β⁺; delayed p/2p | Synthetic | Dripline & β‑delayed‑p studies | ²⁶mP: 115(8) ns, IT→²⁶P. (Wikipedia) |
| ²⁷P | 15 | 27 | Unstable | 260(80) ms | β⁺ 99.93%; β⁺p 0.07% | ²⁷Si; ²⁶Al | β⁺; delayed p | Synthetic | Structure near N=12 | — (Wikipedia) |
| ²⁸P | 15 | 28 | Unstable | 270.3(5) ms | β⁺; β⁺p 0.0013%; β⁺α 8.6×10⁻⁴% | ²⁸Si; ²⁷Al; ²⁴Mg | β⁺; delayed p/α | Synthetic | Reaction/β⁺ standards | — (Wikipedia) |
| ²⁹P | 15 | 29 | Unstable | 4.102(4) s | β⁺ | ²⁹Si | β⁺ | Synthetic | β⁺ spectroscopy | — (Wikipedia) |
| ³⁰P | 15 | 30 | Unstable | 2.5000(17) min | β⁺ | ³⁰Si | β⁺ | Synthetic | PET method development; activation | — (Wikipedia) |
| ³¹P | 15 | 31 | Stable | stable | — | — | — | Natural (100%) | ³¹P‑NMR (spin = 1/2); biochemistry | Mononuclidic element. (Wikipedia) |
| ³²P | 15 | 32 | Unstable | 14.269(7) d | β⁻ | ³²S | β⁻ (no γ) | Natural trace (cosmogenic) & Synthetic | Radiotracer, therapeutics; DNA/RNA labeling | Classic β⁻ emitter (E_max≈1.71 MeV). (Wikipedia) |
| ³³P | 15 | 33 | Unstable | 25.35(11) d | β⁻ | ³³S | β⁻ (lower E than ³²P) | Synthetic (n‑activation) | Molecular biology radiolabel (lower β energy) | Longer‑lived than ³²P; lab handling advantage. (Wikipedia) |
| ³⁴P | 15 | 34 | Unstable | 12.43(10) s | β⁻ | ³⁴S | β⁻ | Synthetic | β‑decay studies | — (Wikipedia) |
| ³⁵P | 15 | 35 | Unstable | 47.3(8) s | β⁻ | ³⁵S | β⁻ | Synthetic | β/γ spectroscopy (via daughter) | Daughter ³⁵S is long‑lived β⁻ (≈87 d). (Wikipedia) |
| ³⁶P | 15 | 36 | Unstable | 5.6(3) s | β⁻; β⁻,n ? | ³⁶S; ³⁵S | β⁻; delayed n (possible) | Synthetic | Delayed‑n limits | — (Wikipedia) |
| ³⁷P | 15 | 37 | Unstable | 2.31(13) s | β⁻; β⁻,n ? | ³⁷S; ³⁶S | β⁻; delayed n (possible) | Synthetic | Continuum | — (Wikipedia) |
| ³⁸P | 15 | 38 | Unstable | 0.64(14) s | β⁻ 88%; β⁻,n 12% | ³⁸S; ³⁷S | β⁻; delayed n | Synthetic | β‑delayed‑n benchmarks | — (Wikipedia) |
| ³⁹P | 15 | 39 | Unstable | 282(24) ms | β⁻ 74%; β⁻,n 26% | ³⁹S; ³⁸S | β⁻; delayed n | Synthetic | Shell evolution | — (Wikipedia) |
| ⁴⁰P | 15 | 40 | Unstable | 150(8) ms | β⁻ 84.2%; β⁻,n 15.8%; (β⁻,2n ?) | ⁴⁰S; ³⁹S; ³⁸S | β⁻; delayed n/2n | Synthetic | Multineutron emission | — (Wikipedia) |
| ⁴¹P | 15 | 41 | Unstable | 101(5) ms | β⁻ 70%; β⁻,n 30%; (β⁻,2n ?) | ⁴¹S; ⁴⁰S; ³⁹S | β⁻; delayed n/2n | Synthetic | Dripline approach | — (Wikipedia) |
| ⁴²P | 15 | 42 | Unstable | 48.5(15) ms | β⁻ 50%; β⁻,n 50%; (β⁻,2n ?) | ⁴²S; ⁴¹S; ⁴⁰S | β⁻; delayed n/2n | Synthetic | β‑delayed‑n statistics | — (Wikipedia) |
| ⁴³P | 15 | 43 | Unstable | 35.8(13) ms | β⁻,n (dominant); (β⁻,2n ?) | ⁴²S; (⁴¹S) | delayed n/2n | Synthetic | Neutron‑rich spectroscopy | — (Wikipedia) |
| ⁴⁴P | 15 | 44 | Unstable | 18.5(25) ms | β⁻,n 55%; β⁻ 24%; β⁻,2n 21% | ⁴³S; ⁴⁴S; ⁴²S | β⁻; delayed n/2n | Synthetic | Multineutron emission | — (Wikipedia) |
| ⁴⁵P | 15 | 45 | Unstable | 24 ms (7 stat, 9 sys) | β⁻,n 79%; β⁻,2n 21% | ⁴⁴S; ⁴³S | delayed n/2n | Synthetic | Dripline benchmarks | — (Wikipedia) |
| ⁴⁶P | 15 | 46 | Unstable | 9 ms (#; > 200 ns) | β⁻ ?; β⁻,n ?; β⁻,2n ? | ⁴⁶S; ⁴⁵S; ⁴⁴S | β⁻; delayed n (likely) | Synthetic | Edge‑of‑stability tests | Trend‑based evaluation (#). (Wikipedia) |
| ⁴⁷P | 15 | 47 | Unstable | 4 ms (#; > 400 ns) | β⁻; (β⁻,n ?; β⁻,2n ?) | ⁴⁷S; ⁴⁶S; ⁴⁵S | β⁻; delayed n (likely) | Synthetic | Heaviest observed P | Trend‑based evaluation (#). (Wikipedia) |
Radiation key: β⁺/EC → annihilation γ (511 keV); β⁻ (electron); β⁻,n/2n = β‑decay with 1/2 delayed neutron(s); p/2p/α = prompt charged‑particle emission from proton‑unbound branches; IT = isomeric transition γ.
Totals — Phosphorus
- Stable1 (³¹P)
- Unstable21 (²⁶–³⁰P, ³²–⁴⁷P)
- Total isotopes22. (Wikipedia)
Running cumulative totals (H → P, Z = 1…15)
- Cumulative total isotopes251 (prior through Si: 229 • P: +22)
- Cumulative stable29 (prior through Si: 28 • P: +1)
- Cumulative unstable222
Sources
- Isotopes of phosphorus— evaluated list with half‑lives, branches and daughters from ²⁶P–⁴⁷P (NUBASE2020/AME2020 citations in article). (Wikipedia)
- IAEA LiveChart of Nuclides(ENSDF) and NNDC NuDat 3 — authoritative decay‑mode/half‑life look‑ups used throughout this ledger. (IAEA, National Nuclear Data Center)
- ³²Pusage overview (biomedicine/labeling/therapy) — reference page consolidating clinical/research applications. (Wikipedia)
Next: Sulfur — S (Z = 16)
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