copper63

Copper-63, or 63Cu, is a stable isotope of copper (atomic number 29). In nature copper consists mainly of two stable isotopes, 63Cu and 65Cu, with about 69% and 31% natural abundance respectively.

63Cu has a mass number of 63 and does not undergo radioactive decay. It possesses nonzero nuclear spin and a nonzero electric quadrupole moment, properties that enable certain nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments and other spectroscopic techniques used to study copper-containing materials.

Natural copper’s atomic weight is about 63.546, a weighted average that reflects the isotopic mixture including 63Cu and 65Cu. The two stable isotopes together account for the stable isotopic composition of bulk copper found in ores and refined metals.

Occurrence and production: 63Cu occurs naturally in copper ores and refined copper. It is not produced as a separate radionuclide; rather, its relative share is determined by natural isotopic abundance. In research settings, enrichment can increase the proportion of 63Cu for specific experiments or analyses.

Applications: 63Cu is widely used in NMR studies of copper-containing materials and in isotope ratio analyses to investigate geological and environmental copper sources. Its stability and relatively high natural abundance also make 63Cu a common reference element in certain analytical chemistry calibrations.

Related isotopes: The other stable copper isotope is 65Cu. There are radioactive copper isotopes as well, such as 64Cu, which is used in medical imaging and research, but these are distinct from 63Cu.