Isotopes of carbon

Isotope data

Carbon isotopes and mainlC-13 is used extensively in many different applications. C-13 is used for instance in organic chemistry research, studies into molecular structures, metabolism, food labeling, air pollution and climate change. C-13 is also used in breath tests to determine the presence of the helicobacter pylori bacteria which causes stomach ulcer. C-13 can also be used for the production of the radioisotope N-13 which is a PET isotope. The C-12 atom has been given the atomic weight of exactly 12.000000000 and is used as the basis upon whichhe atomic weight of other isotopes is determined. Carbon isotopes in the form of BaCO3 can be obtained from Trace Sciences International.

Naturally occurring isotopes

naturally occuring isotopes, their atomic masses, their natural abundances, their nuclear spins, and their magnetic moments. Further data for radioisotopes (radioactive isotopes) of carbon are listed (including any which occur naturally) below. <>98.93 (8)
Isotope Atomic mass (ma/u) Natural abundance (atom %) Nuclear spin (I) Magnetic moment (μ/μN)
12C 12.000 000 0(0)* 0 0
13C 13.003 354 8378(10) 1.07 (8) 1/2 0.702411

Isotopic abundances of C
In the above picture, the most intense ion is set to 100% since this corresponds best to the output from a mass spectrometer. This is not to be confused with the relative percentage isotope abundances whi total 100% for all the naturally occurring isotopes.

Radiosotope data

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Further data for naturally occuring isotopes of carbon are listed above. This table gives information about somradiosotopes of carbon, their masses, their half-lives, their mos of decay, their nuclear spins, and their nuclear magnetic moments.
Isotope Mass Half-life Mode of decay Nuclear magnetic moment
9C 9.031040 0.127 s EC to 9B; EC + p to 8Be; EC + 2α to 2H 3/2
10C 10.016853 19.3 s EC to 10B 0
11C 11.011433 20.3 m EC to 11B 3

/2		 -0.964
14C 14.003241982 (27) 5715 y β- to 14N 0
15C 15.010599 β- to 15N 1/2 1.32
16C 16.014701 0.75 s β- to 16N
17C 17.02258 0.19 s β- to 17N; β- + n to 16N

Sheffield ChemPuter isotope paern calculator

You can use WebElements to calculate an isotope pattern for an arbitrary chemical formula:

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Note the following when entering your formula:

  • Correctly nested brackets [{()}] are OK
  • 'Pseudoelements' such as Me, Ph, Cp, and many others are OK
  • Compound names and element names such as 'water' or 'manganese' are not OK
  • Experiment with your formula to see what is possible

References

  1. Naturally occurring isotope abundances: Commission on Atomic Weights and Isotopic Abundances report for the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry in Isotopic Compositions of the Elements 198/em>, Pure and Applied Chemistry, 1998, 70, 217. [Copyright 1998 IUPAC]
  2. Masses, nuclear spins, and magnetic moments: I. Mills, T. Cvitas, K. Homann, N. Kallay, and K. Kuchitsu in Quantities, Units and Symbols in Physical Chemistry
  3. For further information about radioisotopes see Jonghwa Chang's (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) Table of the Nuclides

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carbon atomic number