Isotope-ratio mass spectrometry isotopic make up of the sample is obtained. For example, carbon isotope ratios are measured relative to the international standard for C. The C standard is produced from a fossil belemnite found in the Peedee Formation, which is a limestone formed in the Cretaceous period in South Carolina, U.S.A. The fossil is referred to as VPDB (Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite) and has C:C ratio of 0.0112372. Oxygen isotope ratios are measured relative the standard, V-SMOW (Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water). It is critical that the sample be processed before entering the mass spectrometer so that only a single chemical species
Isotopes of roentgenium Isotopes of roentgenium Roentgenium (Rg) is a synthetic element, and thus a standard atomic weight cannot be given. Like all synthetic elements, it has no stable isotopes. The first isotope to be synthesized was Rg in 1994, which is also the only directly synthesized isotope; all others are decay products of nihonium, moscovium, and tennessine, and possibly copernicium, flerovium, and livermorium. There are 7 known radioisotopes from Rg to Rg. The longest-lived isotope is Rg with a half-life of 2.1 minutes, although the unconfirmed Rg and Rg may have a longer half-life of about 5.1 minutes and 10.7 minutes respectively.