hafnium176

Hafnium-176 is a stable, non-radioactive isotope of the element hafnium (chemical symbol Hf) with a mass number of 176. It has 72 protons and 104 neutrons, and it is one of the six naturally occurring stable hafnium isotopes.

In nature, hafnium-176 accounts for roughly a few percent of natural hafnium. The element exists in several stable isotopes, including 174, 176, 177, 178, 179, and 180, with varying abundances. Because Hf-176 is stable, it does not undergo radioactive decay under ordinary conditions.

Hafnium-176 occurs in minerals containing hafnium, such as zircon and other heavy mineral phases. Its isotopic composition can be measured using techniques like mass spectrometry, allowing scientists to determine isotopic ratios that are used in geochemical and cosmochemical studies to understand geological processes and planetary differentiation.

Applications of hafnium isotopes, including Hf-176, lie mainly in isotope ratio analysis and geochronology. While Hf-176 itself does not decay, the broader hafnium isotope system provides valuable information about the history of rocks and the early solar system. Hafnium has been studied for nearly a century, and its stable isotopes continue to support research in earth and planetary sciences.