204Hg

204Hg is an isotope of the element mercury (Hg) with a mass number of 204. It is the heaviest stable isotope of mercury, and its nucleus contains 80 protons and 124 neutrons. Like other mercury isotopes, 204Hg is studied in nuclear and analytical contexts because it does not undergo radioactive decay.

Natural occurrence and isotopic composition: 204Hg occurs in nature as part of natural mercury. Its abundance is relatively small compared with some other mercury isotopes, typically around 7% of natural mercury. Mercury has seven stable isotopes in total: 196, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, and 204, each contributing to the element’s natural isotopic mix. The exact distribution varies slightly between samples and sources.

Nuclear properties: As a stable, even-even nucleus (Z = 80, N = 124), 204Hg does not have a radioactive decay pathway under normal conditions. Its stability contributes to the overall stability of the element’s isotopic composition and influences the atomic weight of natural mercury.

Production and applications: In laboratory settings, 204Hg can be produced in nuclear reactions, such as neutron capture or heavy-ion processes, for specialized research. In geochemistry, environmental science, and mass spectrometry, isotopic ratios involving 204Hg are used to investigate processes such as sources and transport of mercury in ecosystems, as well as calibration and standardization efforts in isotopic analyses.

Safety: Mercury and its compounds are toxic, and all handling of mercury isotopes requires appropriate safety precautions to prevent exposure and environmental contamination.