Eli5: What is the “island of stability” in nuclear physics?
In: Physics
As a general rule the bigger an atom gets the less stable it is as the ~~weak~~ strong nuclear force has to work harder against the electromagnetic force. Thats why Uranium is used in nuclear reactors it’s easy to split. Really big atoms exist for microseconds before they tear themselves apart. The Island of Stability is an idea that there is a certain configuration of protons and neutrons that will make a stable atom much bigger then any currently known stable atom. For elements well above 110
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