There are 39 known

isotope Isotopes are distinct nuclear species (or ''nuclides'') of the same chemical element. They have the same atomic number (number of protons in their Atomic nucleus, nuclei) and position in the periodic table (and hence belong to the same chemica ...

s and 17

nuclear isomer A nuclear isomer is a metastable state of an atomic nucleus, in which one or more nucleons (protons or neutrons) occupy excited state levels (higher energy levels). "Metastable" describes nuclei whose excited states have Half-life, half-lives of ...

s of

tellurium Tellurium is a chemical element; it has symbol Te and atomic number 52. It is a brittle, mildly toxic, rare, silver-white metalloid. Tellurium is chemically related to selenium and sulfur, all three of which are chalcogens. It is occasionally fou ...

(₅₂Te), with

atomic mass Atomic mass ( or ) is the mass of a single atom. The atomic mass mostly comes from the combined mass of the protons and neutrons in the nucleus, with minor contributions from the electrons and nuclear binding energy. The atomic mass of atoms, ...

es that range from 104 to 142. These are listed in the table below. Naturally-occurring tellurium on Earth consists of eight isotopes. Two of these have been found to be

radioactive Radioactive decay (also known as nuclear decay, radioactivity, radioactive disintegration, or nuclear disintegration) is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. A material containing unstable nuclei is conside ...

: ¹²⁸Te and ¹³⁰Te undergo

double beta decay In nuclear physics, double beta decay is a type of radioactive decay in which two neutrons are simultaneously transformed into two protons, or vice versa, inside an atomic nucleus. As in single beta decay, this process allows the atom to move cl ...

with

half-lives Half-life is a mathematical and scientific description of exponential or gradual decay. Half-life, half life or halflife may also refer to: Film * ''Half-Life'' (film), a 2008 independent film by Jennifer Phang * '' Half Life: A Parable for t ...

of, respectively, 2.2×10²⁴ (2.2 septillion) years (the longest half-life of all nuclides proven to be radioactive)Many isotopes are expected to have longer half-lives, but decay has not yet been observed in these, allowing only a lower limit to be placed on their half-lives and 8.2×10²⁰ (820 quintillion) years. The longest-lived artificial radioisotope of tellurium is ¹²¹Te with a half-life of about 19 days. Several

s have longer half-lives, the longest being ^121mTe with a half-life of 154 days. The very-long-lived radioisotopes ¹²⁸Te and ¹³⁰Te are the two most common isotopes of tellurium. Of elements with at least one stable isotope, only

indium Indium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol In and atomic number 49. It is a silvery-white post-transition metal and one of the softest elements. Chemically, indium is similar to gallium and thallium, and its properties are la ...

and rhenium likewise have a radioisotope in greater abundance than a stable one. It has been claimed that

electron capture Electron capture (K-electron capture, also K-capture, or L-electron capture, L-capture) is a process in which the proton-rich nucleus of an electrically neutral atom absorbs an inner atomic electron, usually from the K or L electron shells. Th ...

of ¹²³Te was observed, but more recent measurements of the same team have disproved this. The half-life of ¹²³Te is longer than 9.2 × 10¹⁶ years, and probably much longer. This apparent stability is a rare violation of the Mattauch isobar rule. ¹²⁴Te can be used as a starting material in the production of

radionuclides A radionuclide (radioactive nuclide, radioisotope or radioactive isotope) is a nuclide that has excess numbers of either neutrons or protons, giving it excess nuclear energy, and making it unstable. This excess energy can be used in one of three ...

by a

cyclotron A cyclotron is a type of particle accelerator invented by Ernest Lawrence in 1929–1930 at the University of California, Berkeley, and patented in 1932. Lawrence, Ernest O. ''Method and apparatus for the acceleration of ions'', filed: Januar ...

or other particle accelerators. Some common radionuclides that can be produced from tellurium-124 are iodine-123 and iodine-124. The short-lived isotope ¹³⁵Te (half-life 19 seconds) is produced as a fission product in nuclear reactors. It decays, via two

beta decay In nuclear physics, beta decay (β-decay) is a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits a beta particle (fast energetic electron or positron), transforming into an isobar of that nuclide. For example, beta decay of a neutron ...

s, to ¹³⁵Xe, the most powerful known neutron absorber, and the cause of the iodine pit phenomenon. With the exception of

beryllium Beryllium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Be and atomic number 4. It is a steel-gray, hard, strong, lightweight and brittle alkaline earth metal. It is a divalent element that occurs naturally only in combination with ...

, tellurium is the lightest element observed to have isotopes capable of undergoing

alpha decay Alpha decay or α-decay is a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle (helium nucleus). The parent nucleus transforms or "decays" into a daughter product, with a mass number that is reduced by four and an a ...

, with isotopes ¹⁰⁴Te to ¹⁰⁹Te being seen to undergo this mode of decay. Some lighter elements, namely those in the vicinity of ⁸Be, have isotopes with delayed alpha emission (following

proton A proton is a stable subatomic particle, symbol , Hydron (chemistry), H+, or 1H+ with a positive electric charge of +1 ''e'' (elementary charge). Its mass is slightly less than the mass of a neutron and approximately times the mass of an e ...

or beta emission) as a rare branch.

List of isotopes

, -id=Tellurium-104 , ¹⁰⁴Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 52 , 103.94672(34) , <4 ns , α , ¹⁰⁰Sn , 0+ , , , -id=Tellurium-105 , ¹⁰⁵Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 53 , 104.94330(32) , 633(66) ns , α , ¹⁰¹Sn , (7/2+) , , , -id=Tellurium-106 , ¹⁰⁶Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 54 , 105.93750(11) , 78(11) μs , α , ¹⁰²Sn , 0+ , , , -id=Tellurium-107 , rowspan=2, ¹⁰⁷Te , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 52 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 55 , rowspan=2, 106.93488(11)# , rowspan=2, 3.22(9) ms , α (70%) , ¹⁰³Sn , rowspan=2, 5/2+# , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺ (30%) , ¹⁰⁷Sb , -id=Tellurium-108 , rowspan=4, ¹⁰⁸Te , rowspan=4 style="text-align:right" , 52 , rowspan=4 style="text-align:right" , 56 , rowspan=4, 107.9293805(58) , rowspan=4, 2.1(1) s , α (49%) , ¹⁰⁴Sn , rowspan=4, 0+ , rowspan=4, , rowspan=4, , - , β⁺ (48.6%) , ¹⁰⁸Sb , - , β⁺, p (2.4%) , ¹⁰⁷Sn , - , β⁺, α (<0.065%) , ¹⁰⁴In , -id=Tellurium-109 , rowspan=4, ¹⁰⁹Te , rowspan=4 style="text-align:right" , 52 , rowspan=4 style="text-align:right" , 57 , rowspan=4, 108.9273045(47) , rowspan=4, 4.4(2) s , β⁺ (86.7%) , ¹⁰⁹Sb , rowspan=4, (5/2+) , rowspan=4, , rowspan=4, , - , β⁺, p (9.4%) , ¹⁰⁸Sn , - , α (3.9%) , ¹⁰⁵Sn , - , β⁺, α (<0.0049%) , ¹⁰⁵In , -id=Tellurium-110 , ¹¹⁰Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 58 , 109.9224581(71) , 18.6(8) s , β⁺ , ¹¹⁰Sb , 0+ , , , -id=Tellurium-111 , rowspan=2, ¹¹¹Te , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 52 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 59 , rowspan=2, 110.9210006(69) , rowspan=2, 26.2(6) s , β⁺ , ¹¹¹Sb , rowspan=2, (5/2)+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺, p (?%) , ¹¹⁰Sn , -id=Tellurium-112 , ¹¹²Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 60 , 111.9167278(90) , 2.0(2) min , β⁺ , ¹¹²Sb , 0+ , , , -id=Tellurium-113 , ¹¹³Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 61 , 112.915891(30) , 1.7(2) min , β⁺ , ¹¹³Sb , (7/2+) , , , -id=Tellurium-114 , ¹¹⁴Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 62 , 113.912088(26) , 15.2(7) min , β⁺ , ¹¹⁴Sb , 0+ , , , -id=Tellurium-115 , ¹¹⁵Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 63 , 114.911902(30) , 5.8(2) min , β⁺ , ¹¹⁵Sb , 7/2+ , , , -id=Tellurium-115m1 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^115m1TeOrder of ground state and isomer is uncertain. , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 10(6) keV , 6.7(4) min , β⁺ , ¹¹⁵Sb , (1/2+) , , , -id=Tellurium-115m2 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^115m2Te , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 280.05(20) keV , 7.5(2) μs , IT , ¹¹⁵Te , 11/2− , , , -id=Tellurium-116 , ¹¹⁶Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 64 , 115.908466(26) , 2.49(4) h , β⁺ , ¹¹⁶Sb , 0+ , , , -id=Tellurium-117 , rowspan=2, ¹¹⁷Te , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 52 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 65 , rowspan=2, 116.908646(14) , rowspan=2, 62(2) min , EC (75%) , rowspan=2, ¹¹⁷Sb , rowspan=2, 1/2+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺ (25%) , -id=Tellurium-117m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^117mTe , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 296.1(5) keV , 103(3) ms , IT , ¹¹⁷Te , (11/2−) , , -id=Tellurium-118 , ¹¹⁸Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 66 , 117.905860(20) , 6.00(2) d , EC , ¹¹⁸Sb , 0+ , , , -id=Tellurium-119 , rowspan=2, ¹¹⁹Te , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 52 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 67 , rowspan=2, 118.9064057(78) , rowspan=2, 16.05(5) h , EC (97.94%) , rowspan=2, ¹¹⁹Sb , rowspan=2, 1/2+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺ (2.06%) , -id=Tellurium-119m , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^119mTe , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 260.96(5) keV , rowspan=2, 4.70(4) d , EC (99.59%) , rowspan=2, ¹¹⁹Sb , rowspan=2, 11/2− , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺ (0.41%) , -id=Tellurium-120 , ¹²⁰Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 68 , 119.9040658(19) , colspan=3 align=center,

Observationally Stable Stable nuclides are isotopes of a chemical element whose nucleons are in a configuration that does not permit them the surplus energy required to produce a radioactive emission. The nuclei of such isotopes are not radioactive and unlike radionuc ...

Believed to undergo β⁺β⁺ decay to ¹²⁰Sn with a half-life over 1.6×10²¹ years , 0+ , 9(1)×10⁻⁴ , , -id=Tellurium-121 , ¹²¹Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 69 , 120.904945(28) , 19.31(7) d , β⁺ , ¹²¹Sb , 1/2+ , , , -id=Tellurium-121m , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^121mTe , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 293.974(22) keV , rowspan=2, 164.7(5) d , IT (88.6%) , ¹²¹Te , rowspan=2, 11/2− , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁺ (11.4%) , ¹²¹Sb , -id=Tellurium-122 , ¹²²Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 70 , 121.9030447(15) , colspan=3 align=center, Stable , 0+ , 0.0255(12) , , -id=Tellurium-123 , ¹²³Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 71 , 122.9042710(15) , colspan=3 align=center, Observationally StableBelieved to undergo electron capture to ¹²³Sb with a half-life over 9.2×10¹⁶ years , 1/2+ , 0.0089(3) , , -id=Tellurium-123m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^123mTe , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 247.47(4) keV , 119.2(1) d , IT , ¹²³Te , 11/2− , , , -id=Tellurium-124 , ¹²⁴Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 72 , 123.9028183(15) , colspan=3 align=center, Stable , 0+ , 0.0474(14) , , -id=Tellurium-125 , ¹²⁵Te Fission product , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 73 , 124.9044312(15) , colspan=3 align=center, Stable , 1/2+ , 0.0707(15) , , -id=Tellurium-125m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^125mTe , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 144.775(8) keV , 57.40(15) d , IT , ¹²⁵Te , 11/2− , , , -id=Tellurium-126 , ¹²⁶Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 74 , 125.9033121(15) , colspan=3 align=center, Stable , 0+ , 0.1884(25) , , -id=Tellurium-127 , ¹²⁷Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 75 , 126.9052270(15) , 9.35(7) h , β⁻ , ¹²⁷I , 3/2+ , , , -id=Tellurium-127m , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^127mTe , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 88.23(7) keV , rowspan=2, 106.1(7) d , IT (97.86%) , ¹²⁷Te , rowspan=2, 11/2− , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻ (2.14%) , ¹²⁷I , -id=Tellurium-128 , ¹²⁸Te Primordial

radionuclide A radionuclide (radioactive nuclide, radioisotope or radioactive isotope) is a nuclide that has excess numbers of either neutrons or protons, giving it excess nuclear energy, and making it unstable. This excess energy can be used in one of three ...

, style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 76 , 127.90446124(76) , 2.25(9)×10²⁴ yLongest measured half-life of any nuclide , β⁻β⁻ , ¹²⁸Xe , 0+ , 0.3174(8) , , -id=Tellurium-128m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^128mTe , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 2790.8(3) keV , 363(27) ns , IT , ''¹²⁸Te'' , (10+) , , , -id=Tellurium-129 , ¹²⁹Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 77 , 128.90659642(76) , 69.6(3) min , β⁻ , ¹²⁹I , 3/2+ , , , -id=Tellurium-129m , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^129mTe , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 105.51(3) keV , rowspan=2 , 33.6(1) d , IT (64%) , ¹²⁹Te , rowspan=2 , 11/2− , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , , - , β⁻ (36%) , ¹²⁹I , -id=Tellurium-130 , ¹³⁰Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 78 , 129.906222745(11) , 7.91(21)×10²⁰ y , β⁻β⁻ , ¹³⁰Xe , 0+ , 0.3408(62) , , -id=Tellurium-130m1 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^130m1Te , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 2146.41(4) keV , 186(11) ns , IT , ''¹³⁰Te'' , 7− , , , -id=Tellurium-130m2 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^130m2Te , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 2667.2(8) keV , 1.90(8) μs , IT , ''¹³⁰Te'' , (10+) , , , -id=Tellurium-130m3 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^130m3Te , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 4373.9(9) keV , 53(8) ns , IT , ''¹³⁰Te'' , (15−) , , , -id=Tellurium-131 , ¹³¹Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 79 , 130.908522210(65) , 25.0(1) min , β⁻ , ¹³¹I , 3/2+ , , , -id=Tellurium-131m1 , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^131m1Te , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 182.258(18) keV , rowspan=2, 32.48(11) h , β⁻ (74.1%) , ¹³¹I , rowspan=2, 11/2− , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , IT (25.9%) , ¹³¹Te , -id=Tellurium-131m2 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^131m2Te , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 1940.0(4) keV , 93(12) ms , IT , ¹³¹Te , (23/2+) , , , -id=Tellurium-132 , ¹³²Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 80 , 131.9085467(37) , 3.204(13) d , β⁻ , ¹³²I , 0+ , , , -id=Tellurium-132m1 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^132m1Te , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 1774.80(9) keV , 145(8) ns , IT , ¹³²Te , 6+ , , , -id=Tellurium-132m2 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^132m2Te , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 1925.47(9) keV , 28.5(9) μs , IT , ¹³²Te , 7− , , , -id=Tellurium-132m3 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^132m3Te , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 2723.3(8) keV , 3.62(6) μs , IT , ¹³²Te , (10+) , , , -id=Tellurium-133 , ¹³³Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 81 , 132.9109633(22) , 12.5(3) min , β⁻ , ¹³³I , 3/2+# , , , -id=Tellurium-133m1 , rowspan=2 style="text-indent:1em" , ^133m1Te , rowspan=2 colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 334.26(4) keV , rowspan=2, 55.4(4) min , β⁻ (83.5%) , ¹³³I , rowspan=2, (11/2−) , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , IT (16.5%) , ¹³³Te , -id=Tellurium-133m2 , style="text-indent:1em" , ^133m2Te , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 1610.4(5) keV , 100(5) ns , IT , ¹³³Te , (19/2−) , , , -id=Tellurium-134 , ¹³⁴Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 82 , 133.9113964(29) , 41.8(8) min , β⁻ , ¹³⁴I , 0+ , , , -id=Tellurium-134m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^134mTe , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 1691.34(16) keV , 164.5(7) ns , IT , ¹³⁴Te , 6+ , , , -id=Tellurium-135 , ¹³⁵Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 83 , 134.9165547(18) , 19.0(2) s , β⁻ , ¹³⁵I , (7/2−) , , , -id=Tellurium-135m , style="text-indent:1em" , ^135mTe , colspan="3" style="text-indent:2em" , 1554.89(16) keV , 511(20) ns , IT , ¹³⁵Te , (19/2−) , , , -id=Tellurium-136 , rowspan=2, ¹³⁶Te , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 52 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 84 , rowspan=2, 135.9201012(24) , rowspan=2, 17.63(9) s , β⁻ (98.63%) , ¹³⁶I , rowspan=2, 0+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻, n (1.37%) , ¹³⁵I , -id=Tellurium-137 , rowspan=2, ¹³⁷Te , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 52 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 85 , rowspan=2, 136.9255994(23) , rowspan=2, 2.49(5) s , β⁻ (97.06%) , ¹³⁷I , rowspan=2, 3/2−# , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻, n (2.94%) , ¹³⁶I , -id=Tellurium-138 , rowspan=2, ¹³⁸Te , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 52 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 86 , rowspan=2, 137.9294725(41) , rowspan=2, 1.46(25) s , β⁻ (95.20%) , ¹³⁸I , rowspan=2, 0+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻, n (4.80%) , ¹³⁷I , -id=Tellurium-139 , ¹³⁹Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 87 , 138.9353672(38) , 724(81) ms , β⁻ , ¹³⁹I , 5/2−# , , , -id=Tellurium-140 , rowspan=2, ¹⁴⁰Te , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 52 , rowspan=2 style="text-align:right" , 88 , rowspan=2, 139.939487(15) , rowspan=2, 351(5) ms , β⁻ (?%) , ¹⁴⁰I , rowspan=2, 0+ , rowspan=2, , rowspan=2, , - , β⁻, n (?%) , ¹³⁹I , -id=Tellurium-141 , ¹⁴¹Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 89 , 140.94560(43)# , 193(16) ms , β⁻ , ¹⁴¹I , 5/2−# , , , -id=Tellurium-142 , ¹⁴²Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 90 , 141.95003(54)# , 147(8) ms , β⁻ , ¹⁴²I , 0+ , , , -id=Tellurium-143 , ¹⁴³Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 91 , 142.95649(54)# , 120(8) ms , β⁻ , ¹⁴³I , 7/2+# , , , -id=Tellurium-144 , ¹⁴⁴Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 92 , 143.96112(32)# , 93(60) ms , β⁻ , ¹⁴⁴I , 0+ , , , -id=Tellurium-145 , ¹⁴⁵Te , style="text-align:right" , 52 , style="text-align:right" , 93 , 144.96778(32)# , 75# ms
550 ns, β⁻ , ¹⁴⁵I , , ,

References

* Isotope masses from: ** * Isotopic compositions and standard atomic masses from: ** ** * Half-life, spin, and isomer data selected from the following sources. ** ** ** ** {{Navbox element isotopes Tellurium

Tellurium Tellurium is a chemical element; it has symbol Te and atomic number 52. It is a brittle, mildly toxic, rare, silver-white metalloid. Tellurium is chemically related to selenium and sulfur, all three of which are chalcogens. It is occasionally fou ...

List of isotopes

See also

References