Superheavy Elements

[ihwip]

Is there a way to calculate nuclear stability that I am unable to find? I know the strong force has to overpower the weak and electromagnetic forces but I don't understand the process completely. Can we predict how stable an isotope will be?

It also brings up a question I had in High School. Why does Helium have no isotope containing no neutrons? Why is Hydrogen the only element that occurs without them? Do Neutrons help bind the nucleus together until they hit a threshold where they start to weaken its integrity?

 

[MeteorWayne]

Well, in current theory, there is a way to aclculate it to some extent, but I'm not sure either you or I have the math skills

See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_stability

 

[ihwip]

Very interesting. The idea that the nucleus is made of shells makes sense. Perhaps they are shells based on the strong reaction instead of the electromagnetic one? If we could create stable isotopes by finding a magic number of protons to neutrons for each respective element it would be a huge breakthrough.

That article put a bizarre question in my head...

What if the core of the nucleus is a bundle of electrons from the neutrons that then is covered in shells of 'protons'? This would kind of defeat the idea of the neutron but hey, wacko ideas sometimes come through with something

So basically the core of a nucleus of say...Helium-4 Would be 2 electrons tightly bound somehow surrounded by a shell of 4 protons and then a shell of 2 electrons.

I have no idea what would be keeping the electrons together though. It might explain beta decay. The electrons released would be able to overcome the force necessary to fly out of the 'core' by repelling whatever force is holding them together with electromagnetic force.

How completely wrong is this concept? Heh.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Completely wrong

Neutrons are not a proton and an electron.

 

[yevaud]

Just as with all other Baryons, such as Protons, Neutrons are comprised of three Quarks.

 

[ihwip]

It is possible that an explanation would be that some mechanism in the course of atom smashing rearranges everything into the quark trios that are observed. Electrons could be absorbed due to the high velocity impact.

I kind of feel like a conspiracy theorist that is making up theories to explain otherwise simple facts. haha.

 

[dangineer]

Doesn't a neutron decay into a proton and an electron (and a neutrino as well I believe)?

I think the problem with calculating the exact stability of large atoms lies in the fact that one would need to calculate the quantum states for a huge number of particles, which would be quite a feat.

 

[lanceromega]

Doesn't a neutron decay into a proton and an electron (and a neutrino as well I believe)?

I think the problem with calculating the exact stability of large atoms lies in the fact that one would need to calculate the quantum states for a huge number of particles, which would be quite a feat.

actually antineutrinos..

And you are correct the exact calculation involved are those of QCD - Quantum Chromodynamic. With QCD we have 9 gluon ( actually 8 since one is actually a duplicate ) and the two methods of calculating the effects of strong force , lattice QCD Calculation and pretubative Method are very complex. Basically neither methods have been used on any nucleus more complex than Helium.

Before QCD, most nuclear Physicist use the shell method, (yes just like electron shells) or the liquid drop method.

also brings up a question I had in High School. Why does Helium have no isotope containing no neutrons? Why is Hydrogen the only element that occurs without them? Do Neutrons help bind the nucleus together until they hit a threshold where they start to weaken its integrity?

helium need a neutron due to the fact that while the strong force is stronger than electromagnetic force, the present of two particles of 1/2 quantum spin in the same quantum state, will interact via their quantum wave forms (or field, in this case Fermion Field), to generate a force called degenerative pressure. This pressure spread the particles apart, beyond the range of the strong force. So a dual proton or dual neutron system are unstable. The strong force itself doesnot not care if is a proton or neutron but Degenerative pressure does..Degenerative pressure is the reason behind Pauli Exclusion principle.

This also is what responible for configuration of electron obritals, and why only two electron are allow at ground state.

 

[vividasday]

well, well, well....dig a lil' deeper....isotopes-kalaiedascopes