Isotopes of gold

Isotopes of gold (79Au)
Main isotopes[1] Decay
abun­dance half-life (t1/2) mode pro­duct
195Au synth 186.01 d ε 195Pt
196Au synth 6.165 d β+ 196Pt
β− 196Hg
197Au 100% stable
198Au synth 2.69464 d β− 198Hg
199Au synth 3.139 d β− 199Hg
Standard atomic weight Ar°(Au)

Gold (79Au) has one stable isotope, 197Au, and 40 radioisotopes, with 195Au being the most stable with a half-life of 186 days. Gold is currently considered the heaviest monoisotopic element. Bismuth formerly held that distinction until alpha-decay of the 209Bi isotope was observed. All isotopes of gold are either radioactive or, in the case of 197Au, observationally stable, meaning that 197Au is predicted to be radioactive but no actual decay has been observed.[4]

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  4. ^ Belli, P.; Bernabei, R.; Danevich, F. A.; et al. (2019). "Experimental searches for rare alpha and beta decays". European Physical Journal A. 55 (8): 140–1–140–7. arXiv:1908.11458. Bibcode:2019EPJA...55..140B. doi:10.1140/epja/i2019-12823-2. ISSN 1434-601X. S2CID 201664098.