Krypton86

Krypton-86 (Kr-86) is a stable isotope of the element krypton, an inert noble gas with atomic number 36. Kr-86 has 36 protons and 50 neutrons, giving it a mass number of 86. It is one of the six stable krypton isotopes and occurs naturally in trace amounts within krypton found in the atmosphere and in geological samples.

As a krypton isotope, Kr-86 shares the chemical properties of krypton gas: it is colorless, odorless, and chemically inert under normal conditions. Its isotopic identity is determined through physical measurement techniques such as mass spectrometry, rather than chemical reactivity.

In scientific practice, Kr-86 is used as a stable isotope standard for calibrating isotope ratio mass spectrometry measurements. It provides a reference point for determining the isotopic composition of krypton in samples drawn from air, groundwater, natural gas, or geological materials. Because Kr-86 is non-radioactive, it serves as a reliable baseline for high-precision isotope analyses of krypton and related noble gases.

Natural abundances of krypton isotopes arise from primordial sources and various geological and atmospheric processes, with Kr-86 contributing a notable portion of atmospheric krypton. Its stable nature and well-characterized abundance make it a common reference in isotope research.

See also: Krypton isotopes, Noble gas, Isotope standard, Mass spectrometry.