Bi235

Bi-235, or bismuth-235, is an isotope of the element bismuth with mass number 235. It contains 83 protons (the atomic number of bismuth) and 152 neutrons, placing it well away from the valley of stability.

As with most isotopes heavier than the stable Bi-209, Bi-235 is radioactive and not found in meaningful natural abundance. The only naturally occurring isotope of bismuth, Bi-209, is considered stable on human timescales, so all other Bi isotopes are short-lived. Bi-235 has been studied primarily in experimental nuclear physics settings, where it can be produced transiently in high-energy reactions or neutron-induced processes.

The decay of Bi-235 is governed by its nuclear binding and energy landscape. In general, neutron-rich heavy isotopes tend to decay toward stability by beta-minus emission (converting a neutron into a proton) or by other decay channels such as alpha decay, depending on the specific energy levels of the nucleus. For Bi-235, precise decay pathways and half-life values are limited and depend on detailed nuclear structure; such isotopes typically have short half-lives and are difficult to produce and measure outside specialized facilities.

Production and observation of Bi-235 occur in laboratory environments through particle irradiation, fusion-evaporation reactions, spallation, or other heavy-ion processes. Data on Bi-235 contribute to broader studies of nuclear structure, isotopic chains near the heavy elements, and theoretical models of beta decay and gamma emission.

There are no known practical applications for Bi-235 beyond research contexts. It remains of interest primarily to researchers studying the properties of heavy, neutron-rich nuclei and nucleosynthesis pathways.