Chemistry / Chem 2507 · Atom · ~20 seconds
The Band of Stability Predicts Decay Mode
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Plotting neutron against proton count for known nuclides traces a narrow band of stability; a nuclide's position relative to it predicts its decay mode.
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Lighter stable nuclides cluster near a 1:1 ratio; heavier ones need progressively more neutrons than protons.
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Mistaking the band for an explanation of instability, rather than an empirical predictor of decay mode, is the error.