praseodymium142

Praseodymium-142 is a radioactive isotope of praseodymium, a rare earth metal with the atomic number 59. It is one of the many isotopes of praseodymium, each differing in the number of neutrons in the nucleus. Praseodymium-142 has 83 neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 142. It is a beta emitter, undergoing beta decay with a half-life of approximately 19.11 hours. During this decay process, a neutron in the nucleus is converted into a proton, an electron, and an antineutrino, resulting in the formation of the stable isotope cerium-142. Praseodymium-142 is not found in nature but can be produced in nuclear reactors or through neutron irradiation of stable praseodymium isotopes. Due to its short half-life, praseodymium-142 is primarily of interest in scientific research, particularly in studies of nuclear physics and the decay properties of rare earth elements. Its production and decay provide valuable data for understanding the behavior of atomic nuclei and the fundamental forces that govern them.