If the definition of an element is a chemical substance that cannot be broken down into other substances, then aren’t the radioactive elements just extra-spicy lead?
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All elements, including lead, can be broken down. Lead nuclei can be split as well! An element is just a clumping of protons and neutrons together, and the “element” just describes how many protons are in that clump. Hydrogen is a single proton, so it can’t be split exactly like larger elements, but a proton is ultimately composed of smaller particles called quarks, so even that can be broken down.
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