Tin (₅₀Sn) is the element with the greatest number of stable isotopes (ten; three of them are potentially radioactive but have not been observed to decay). This is probably related to the fact that 50 is a "magic number" of protons. In addition, twenty-nine unstable tin isotopes are known, including tin-100 (¹⁰⁰Sn) (discovered in 1994)^[4] and tin-132 (¹³²Sn), which are both "doubly magic". The longest-lived tin radioisotope is tin-126 (¹²⁶Sn), with a half-life of 230,000 years. The other 28 radioisotopes have half-lives of less than a year.

List of isotopes[edit]

Nuclide
^{[n 1]}

Isotopic mass (Da)^[5]
^{[n 2]}^{[n 3]}

Half-life^[1]
^{[n 4]}

Decay
mode^[1]
^{[n 5]}

Daughter
isotope
^{[n 6]}

Spin and
parity^[1]
^{[n 7]}^{[n 4]}

Natural abundance (mole fraction)

Excitation energy^{[n 4]}

Normal proportion^[1]

Range of variation

⁹⁹Sn^{[n 8]}

98.94850(63)#

24(4) ms

β⁺ (95%)

⁹⁹In

9/2+#

β⁺, p (5%)

⁹⁸Cd

¹⁰⁰Sn

99.93865(26)

1.18(8) s

β⁺ (>83%)

¹⁰⁰In

β⁺, p (<17%)

⁹⁹Cd

¹⁰¹Sn

100.93526(32)

2.22(5) s

β⁺

¹⁰¹In

(7/2+)

β⁺, p?

¹⁰⁰Cd

¹⁰²Sn

101.93029(11)

3.8(2) s

β⁺

¹⁰²In

^102mSn

2017(2) keV

367(8) ns

¹⁰²Sn

(6+)

¹⁰³Sn

102.92797(11)#

7.0(2) s

β⁺ (98.8%)

¹⁰³In

5/2+#

β⁺, p (1.2%)

¹⁰²Cd

¹⁰⁴Sn

103.923105(6)

20.8(5) s

β⁺

¹⁰⁴In

¹⁰⁵Sn

104.921268(4)

32.7(5) s

β⁺

¹⁰⁵In

(5/2+)

β⁺, p (0.011%)

¹⁰⁴Cd

¹⁰⁶Sn

105.916957(5)

1.92(8) min

β⁺

¹⁰⁶In

¹⁰⁷Sn

106.915714(6)

2.90(5) min

β⁺

¹⁰⁷In

(5/2+)

¹⁰⁸Sn

107.911894(6)

10.30(8) min

β⁺

¹⁰⁸In

¹⁰⁹Sn

108.911293(9)

18.1(2) min

β⁺

¹⁰⁹In

5/2+

¹¹⁰Sn

109.907845(15)

4.154(4) h

¹¹⁰In

¹¹¹Sn

110.907741(6)

35.3(6) min

β⁺

¹¹¹In

7/2+

^111mSn

254.71(4) keV

12.5(10) μs

¹¹¹Sn

1/2+

¹¹²Sn

111.9048249(3)

Observationally Stable^{[n 9]}

0.0097(1)

¹¹³Sn

112.9051759(17)

115.08(4) d

β⁺

¹¹³In

1/2+

^113mSn

77.389(19) keV

21.4(4) min

IT (91.1%)

¹¹³Sn

7/2+

β⁺ (8.9%)

¹¹³In

¹¹⁴Sn

113.90278013(3)

Stable

0.0066(1)

^114mSn

3087.37(7) keV

733(14) ns

¹¹⁴Sn

7−

¹¹⁵Sn

114.903344695(16)

Stable

1/2+

0.0034(1)

^115m1Sn

612.81(4) keV

3.26(8) μs

¹¹⁵Sn

7/2+

^115m2Sn

713.64(12) keV

159(1) μs

¹¹⁵Sn

11/2−

¹¹⁶Sn

115.90174283(10)

Stable

0.1454(9)

^116m1Sn

2365.975(21) keV

348(19) ns

¹¹⁶Sn

5−

^116m2Sn

3547.16(17) keV

833(30) ns

¹¹⁶Sn

10+

¹¹⁷Sn

116.90295404(52)

Stable

1/2+

0.0768(7)

^117m1Sn

314.58(4) keV

13.939(24) d

¹¹⁷Sn

11/2−

^117m2Sn

2406.4(4) keV

1.75(7) μs

¹¹⁷Sn

(19/2+)

¹¹⁸Sn

117.90160663(54)

Stable

0.2422(9)

^118m1Sn

2574.91(4) keV

230(10) ns

¹¹⁸Sn

7−

^118m2Sn

3108.06(22) keV

2.52(6) μs

¹¹⁸Sn

(10+)

¹¹⁹Sn

118.90331127(78)

Stable

1/2+

0.0859(4)

^119m1Sn

89.531(13) keV

293.1(7) d

¹¹⁹Sn

11/2−

^119m2Sn

2127.0(10) keV

9.6(12) μs

¹¹⁹Sn

(19/2+)

^119m3Sn

2369.0(3) keV

96(9) ns

¹¹⁹Sn

23/2+

¹²⁰Sn

119.90220256(99)

Stable

0.3258(9)

^120m1Sn

2481.63(6) keV

11.8(5) μs

¹²⁰Sn

7−

^120m2Sn

2902.22(22) keV

6.26(11) μs

¹²⁰Sn

10+

¹²¹Sn^{[n 10]}

120.9042435(11)

27.03(4) h

β⁻

¹²¹Sb

3/2+

^121m1Sn

6.31(6) keV

43.9(5) y

IT (77.6%)

¹²¹Sn

11/2−

β⁻ (22.4%)

¹²¹Sb

^121m2Sn

1998.68(13) keV

5.3(5) μs

¹²¹Sn

19/2+

^121m3Sn

2222.0(2) keV

520(50) ns

¹²¹Sn

23/2+

^121m4Sn

2833.9(2) keV

167(25) ns

¹²¹Sn

27/2−

¹²²Sn^{[n 10]}

121.9034455(26)

Observationally Stable^{[n 11]}

0.0463(3)

^122m1Sn

2409.03(4) keV

7.5(9) μs

¹²²Sn

7−

^122m2Sn

2765.5(3) keV

62(3) μs

¹²²Sn

10+

^122m3Sn

4721.2(3) keV

139(9) ns

¹²²Sn

15−

¹²³Sn^{[n 10]}

122.9057271(27)

129.2(4) d

β⁻

¹²³Sb

11/2−

^123m1Sn

24.6(4) keV

40.06(1) min

β⁻

¹²³Sb

3/2+

^123m2Sn

1944.90(12) keV

7.4(26) μs

¹²³Sn

19/2+

^123m3Sn

2152.66(19) keV

6 μs

¹²³Sn

23/2+

^123m4Sn

2712.47(21) keV

34 μs

¹²³Sn

27/2−

¹²⁴Sn^{[n 10]}

123.9052796(14)

Observationally Stable^{[n 12]}

0.0579(5)

^124m1Sn

2204.620(23) keV

270(60) ns

¹²⁴Sn

^124m2Sn

2324.96(4) keV

3.1(5) μs

¹²⁴Sn

7−

^124m3Sn

2656.6(3) keV

51(3) μs

¹²⁴Sn

10+

^124m4Sn

4552.4(3) keV

260(25) ns

¹²⁴Sn

15−

¹²⁵Sn^{[n 10]}

124.9077894(14)

9.634(15) d

β⁻

¹²⁵Sb

11/2−

^125m1Sn

27.50(14) keV

9.77(25) min

β⁻

¹²⁵Sb

3/2+

^125m2Sn

1892.8(3) keV

6.2(2) μs

¹²⁵Sn

19/2+

^125m3Sn

2059.5(4) keV

650(60) ns

¹²⁵Sn

23/2+

^125m4Sn

2623.5(5) keV

230(17) ns

¹²⁵Sn

27/2−

¹²⁶Sn^{[n 13]}

125.907658(11)

2.30(14)×10⁵y

β⁻

¹²⁶Sb

<10⁻¹⁴^[6]

^126m1Sn

2218.99(8) keV

6.1(7) μs

¹²⁶Sn

7−

^126m2Sn

2564.5(5) keV

7.6(3) μs

¹²⁶Sn

10+

^126m3Sn

4347.4(4) keV

114(2) ns

¹²⁶Sn

15−

¹²⁷Sn

126.9103917(99)

2.10(4) h

β⁻

¹²⁷Sb

11/2−

^127m1Sn

5.07(6) keV

4.13(3) min

β⁻

¹²⁷Sb

3/2+

^127m2Sn

1826.67(16) keV

4.52(15) μs

¹²⁷Sn

19/2+

^127m3Sn

1930.97(17) keV

1.26(15) μs

¹²⁷Sn

(23/2+)

^127m4Sn

2552.4(10) keV

250 ns (30) ns

¹²⁷Sn

(27/2−)

¹²⁸Sn

127.910508(19)

59.07(14) min

β⁻

¹²⁸Sb

^128m1Sn

2091.50(11) keV

6.5(5) s

¹²⁸Sn

7−

^128m2Sn

2491.91(17) keV

2.91(14) μs

¹²⁸Sn

10+

^128m3Sn

4099.5(4) keV

220(30) ns

¹²⁸Sn

(15−)

¹²⁹Sn

128.913482(19)

2.23(4) min

β⁻

¹²⁹Sb

3/2+

^129m1Sn

35.15(5) keV

6.9(1) min

β⁻

¹²⁹Sb

11/2−

^129m2Sn

1761.6(10) keV

3.49(11) μs

¹²⁹Sn

(19/2+)

^129m3Sn

1802.6(10) keV

2.22(13) μs

¹²⁹Sn

23/2+

^129m4Sn

2552.9(11) keV

221(18) ns

¹²⁹Sn

(27/2−)

¹³⁰Sn

129.9139745(20)

3.72(7) min

β⁻

¹³⁰Sb

^130m1Sn

1946.88(10) keV

1.7(1) min

β⁻

¹³⁰Sb

7−

^130m2Sn

2434.79(12) keV

1.501(17) μs

¹³⁰Sn

(10+)

¹³¹Sn

130.917053(4)

56.0(5) s

β⁻

¹³¹Sb

3/2+

^131m1Sn

65.1(3) keV

58.4(5) s

β⁻

¹³¹Sb

11/2−

IT?

¹³¹Sn

^131m2Sn

4670.0(4) keV

316(5) ns

¹³¹Sn

(23/2−)

¹³²Sn

131.9178239(21)

39.7(8) s

β⁻

¹³²Sb

^132mSn

4848.52(20) keV

2.080(16) μs

¹³²Sn

¹³³Sn

132.9239138(20)

1.37(7) s

β⁻ (99.97%)

¹³³Sb

7/2−

β⁻, n (.0294%)

¹³²Sb

¹³⁴Sn

133.928680(3)

0.93(8) s

β⁻ (83%)

¹³⁴Sb

β⁻, n (17%)

¹³³Sb

^134mSn

1247.4(5) keV

87(8) ns

¹³²Sn

¹³⁵Sn

134.934909(3)

515(5) ms

β⁻ (79%)

¹³⁵Sb

7/2−#

β⁻, n (21%)

¹³⁴Sb

β⁻, 2n?

¹³³Sb

¹³⁶Sn

135.93970(22)#

355(18) ms

β⁻ (72%)

¹³⁶Sb

β⁻, n (28%)

¹³⁵Sb

β⁻, 2n?

¹³⁴Sb

¹³⁷Sn

136.94616(32)#

249(15) ms

β⁻ (52%)

¹³⁷Sb

5/2−#

β⁻, n (48%)

¹³⁶Sb

β⁻, 2n?

¹³⁵Sb

¹³⁸Sn

137.95114(43)#

148(9) ms

β⁻ (64%)

¹³⁸Sb

β⁻, n (36%)

¹³⁷Sb

β⁻, 2n?

¹³⁶Sb

^138mSn

1344(2) keV

210(45) ns

¹³⁸Sn

(6+)

¹³⁹Sn

138.95780(43)#

120(38) ms

β⁻

¹³⁹Sb

5/2−#

β⁻, n?

¹³⁸Sb

β⁻, 2n?

¹³⁷Sb

¹⁴⁰Sn

139.96297(32)#

50# ms
[>550 ns]

β⁻?

¹⁴⁰Sb

β⁻, n?

¹³⁹Sb

β⁻, 2n?

¹³⁸Sb

This table header & footer:

^ ^mSn – Excited nuclear isomer.

^ ( ) – Uncertainty (1σ) is given in concise form in parentheses after the corresponding last digits.

^ # – Atomic mass marked #: value and uncertainty derived not from purely experimental data, but at least partly from trends from the Mass Surface (TMS).

^ ^a ^b ^c # – Values marked # are not purely derived from experimental data, but at least partly from trends of neighboring nuclides (TNN).

^ Modes of decay:

EC:

IT:

^ Bold symbol as daughter – Daughter product is stable.

^ ( ) spin value – Indicates spin with weak assignment arguments.

^ Heaviest known nuclide with more protons than neutrons

^ Believed to decay by β⁺β⁺to¹¹²Cd

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Fission product

^ Believed to undergo β⁻β⁻ decay to ¹²²Te

^ Believed to undergo β⁻β⁻ decay to ¹²⁴Te with a half-life over 1×10¹⁷ years

^ Long-lived fission product

Tin-117m[edit]

Tin-117m is a radioisotope of tin. One of its uses is in a particulate suspension to treat canine synovitis (radiosynoviorthesis).^[7]

Tin-121m[edit]

Tin-121m (^121mSn) is a radioisotope and nuclear isomer of tin with a half-life of 43.9 years.

In a normal thermal reactor, it has a very low fission product yield; thus, this isotope is not a significant contributor to nuclear waste. Fast fission or fission of some heavier actinides will produce tin-121 at higher yields. For example, its yield from uranium-235 is 0.0007% per thermal fission and 0.002% per fast fission.^[8]

Tin-126[edit]

Yield, % per fission^[8]

not fissile

0.0481 ± 0.0077

0.87 ± 0.20

²³³U

0.224 ± 0.018

0.278 ± 0.022

1.92 ± 0.31

²³⁵U

0.056 ± 0.004

0.0137 ± 0.001

1.70 ± 0.14

²³⁸U

not fissile

0.054 ± 0.004

1.31 ± 0.21

²³⁹Pu

0.199 ± 0.016

0.26 ± 0.02

2.02 ± 0.22

²⁴¹Pu

0.082 ± 0.019

0.22 ± 0.03

Tin-126 is a radioisotope of tin and one of the only seven long-lived fission products of uranium and plutonium. While tin-126's half-life of 230,000 years translates to a low specific activity of gamma radiation, its short-lived decay products, two isomersofantimony-126, emit 17 and 40 keV gamma radiation and a 3.67 MeV beta particle on their way to stable tellurium-126, making external exposure to tin-126 a potential concern.

Tin-126 is in the middle of the mass range for fission products. Thermal reactors, which make up almost all current nuclear power plants, produce it at a very low yield (0.056% for ²³⁵U), since slow neutrons almost always fission ²³⁵Uor²³⁹Pu into unequal halves. Fast fission in a fast reactorornuclear weapon, or fission of some heavy minor actinides such as californium, will produce it at higher yields.

ANL factsheet

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Kondev, F. G.; Wang, M.; Huang, W. J.; Naimi, S.; Audi, G. (2021). "The NUBASE2020 evaluation of nuclear properties" (PDF). Chinese Physics C. 45 (3): 030001. doi:10.1088/1674-1137/abddae.

^ "Standard Atomic Weights: Tin". CIAAW. 1983.

^ Prohaska, Thomas; Irrgeher, Johanna; Benefield, Jacqueline; Böhlke, John K.; Chesson, Lesley A.; Coplen, Tyler B.; Ding, Tiping; Dunn, Philip J. H.; Gröning, Manfred; Holden, Norman E.; Meijer, Harro A. J. (2022-05-04). "Standard atomic weights of the elements 2021 (IUPAC Technical Report)". Pure and Applied Chemistry. doi:10.1515/pac-2019-0603. ISSN 1365-3075.

^ K. Sümmerer; R. Schneider; T Faestermann; J. Friese; H. Geissel; R. Gernhäuser; H. Gilg; F. Heine; J. Homolka; P. Kienle; H. J. Körner; G. Münzenberg; J. Reinhold; K. Zeitelhack (April 1997). "Identification and decay spectroscopy of ¹⁰⁰Sn at the GSI projectile fragment separator FRS". Nuclear Physics A. 616 (1–2): 341–345. Bibcode:1997NuPhA.616..341S. doi:10.1016/S0375-9474(97)00106-1.

^ Wang, Meng; Huang, W.J.; Kondev, F.G.; Audi, G.; Naimi, S. (2021). "The AME 2020 atomic mass evaluation (II). Tables, graphs and references*". Chinese Physics C. 45 (3): 030003. doi:10.1088/1674-1137/abddaf.

^ Shen, Hongtao; Jiang, Shan; He, Ming; Dong, Kejun; Li, Chaoli; He, Guozhu; Wu, Shaolei; Gong, Jie; Lu, Liyan; Li, Shizhuo; Zhang, Dawei; Shi, Guozhu; Huang, Chuntang; Wu, Shaoyong (February 2011). "Study on measurement of fission product nuclide 126Sn by AMS" (PDF). Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms. 269 (3): 392–395. doi:10.1016/j.nimb.2010.11.059.

^ "https://www.nrc.gov/site-help/search.html?site=AllSites&searchtext=synovetin" (PDF). {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)

^ ^a ^b M. B. Chadwick et al, "Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF) : ENDF/B-VII.1: Nuclear Data for Science and Technology: Cross Sections, Covariances, Fission Product Yields, and Decay Data", Nucl. Data Sheets 112(2011)2887. (accessed at https://www-nds.iaea.org/exfor/endf.htm)