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zirconium90

Zirconium-90, designated 90Zr, is a stable isotope of the element zirconium (atomic number 40) with a mass number of 90. It comprises 40 protons and 50 neutrons. It is the most abundant isotope in natural zirconium, contributing roughly half of the element’s natural isotopic composition.

90Zr is an even-even nucleus, and its ground-state spin and parity are 0+. Because it is stable,

In natural zirconium, 90Zr accounts for about 51% of the isotope mix. It occurs in zirconium-bearing minerals

The neutron number of 90Zr is 50, which is a magic number in nuclear physics. This contributes

See also zirconium, isotopes of zirconium, and concepts related to nuclear magic numbers and nuclear structure.

90Zr
does
not
undergo
radioactive
decay
and
has
an
effectively
infinite
half-life.
such
as
zircon
(ZrSiO4)
and
baddeleyite
(ZrO2),
making
it
a
common
constituent
of
rocks
and
mineral
samples.
to
its
relative
stability
and
characteristic
nuclear
structure.
Because
of
its
stability
and
well-understood
structure,
90Zr
is
frequently
used
as
a
reference
or
calibration
nucleus
in
nuclear-structure
and
reaction
studies,
including
scattering
experiments
and
investigations
of
giant
dipole
resonances.
Its
abundance
and
non-radioactive
nature
also
make
it
convenient
for
use
as
a
target
in
various
experimental
setups.