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textbook:nrctextbook:chapter3 [2025-04-24 13:32]
Merja Herzig 		textbook:nrctextbook:chapter3 [2025-06-19 14:13] (current)
Merja Herzig
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 ===== 3.2. Neutron to proton ratio in nuclei ===== ===== 3.2. Neutron to proton ratio in nuclei =====
  
-{{:textbook:nrctextbook:figure_3_1_a_bindingenergynuclide.png?400 |}} +{{ :textbook:nrctextbook:fig_3a_nuclide_chart_300.png?400|}} 
-Figure III.1A Nuclide chart (http://oscar6echo.blogspot.fi/2012/11/nuclide-chart.html).+Figure III.1A Nuclide chart ([[http://oscar6echo.blogspot.fi/2012/11/nuclide-chart.html|nuclide chart]]).
    
  
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-{{:textbook:nrctextbook:figure_3_1_b_neutron_numbers_as_a_function_of_z.png?400 |}}+{{:textbook:nrctextbook:figure_3_b_neutron_numbers.png?400 |}}  
 +\\ 
 \\  \\ 
- 
 Figure III.1B Neutron numbers of the most abundant isotopes of the stable elements as a function of atomic number (right). Figure III.1B Neutron numbers of the most abundant isotopes of the stable elements as a function of atomic number (right).
  
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 \\  \\ 
 {{anchor:figure_32}} {{anchor:figure_32}}
-{{:textbook:nrctextbook:binding_energy_per_nucleon_fig_3_2.png?400|}} +{{ :textbook:nrctextbook:binding_energy_per_nucleon_300.png?400|}}
- +
-Figure III.2. Binding energy per nucleon E<sub>B</sub>/A (MeV/A) of elements as a function of their mass number (http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/B/binding_energy.html).+
  
 +Figure III.2. Binding energy per nucleon E<sub>B</sub>/A (MeV/A) of elements as a function of their mass number ([[http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/B/binding_energy.html|binding energy]]).
 ### ###
 The Figure III.2 shows that the binding energy per [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter2#nucleon|nucleon]] increases dramatically from the lightest elements to [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter2#mass_number|mass numbers]] between 50 and 60. As the E<sub>B</sub>/A value for [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter2#tritium|tritium]] is 1.11 [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter3#electron_volt|MeV]], it is at 8.8. MeV for iron (A=55). Thereafter E<sub>B</sub>/A slowly decreases, being for example 8.02 MeV for thallium and 7.57 MeV for [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter4#uranium|uranium]]. Thus, the intermediate-weight elements, such as iron, cobalt and nickel are the most stable. At certain mass numbers, or strictly speaking at certain [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter2#proton|proton]] and [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter2#neutron|neutron]] numbers, the lighter [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter2#nuclide|nuclides]] have exceptionally higher [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter3#binding_energy|binding energy]] than their neighbors do as seen in Figure III.2 and these nuclides are also exceptionally stable. For example, for <sup>4</sup>He the E<sub>B</sub>/A value is as high as 7.07 MeV whereas for the next heavier nuclide <sup>6</sup>Li it is only 5.33 MeV. The high stability of <sup>4</sup>He makes it understandable why in [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter5#5.2._alpha_decay|alpha decay]] they are emitted from heavy nuclides. The Figure III.2 shows that the binding energy per [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter2#nucleon|nucleon]] increases dramatically from the lightest elements to [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter2#mass_number|mass numbers]] between 50 and 60. As the E<sub>B</sub>/A value for [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter2#tritium|tritium]] is 1.11 [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter3#electron_volt|MeV]], it is at 8.8. MeV for iron (A=55). Thereafter E<sub>B</sub>/A slowly decreases, being for example 8.02 MeV for thallium and 7.57 MeV for [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter4#uranium|uranium]]. Thus, the intermediate-weight elements, such as iron, cobalt and nickel are the most stable. At certain mass numbers, or strictly speaking at certain [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter2#proton|proton]] and [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter2#neutron|neutron]] numbers, the lighter [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter2#nuclide|nuclides]] have exceptionally higher [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter3#binding_energy|binding energy]] than their neighbors do as seen in Figure III.2 and these nuclides are also exceptionally stable. For example, for <sup>4</sup>He the E<sub>B</sub>/A value is as high as 7.07 MeV whereas for the next heavier nuclide <sup>6</sup>Li it is only 5.33 MeV. The high stability of <sup>4</sup>He makes it understandable why in [[textbook:nrctextbook:chapter5#5.2._alpha_decay|alpha decay]] they are emitted from heavy nuclides.
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 {{:textbook:nrctextbook:energy_valley_fig_3_3.png?400|}} {{:textbook:nrctextbook:energy_valley_fig_3_3.png?400|}}
  
-Figure III.3. Energy valley, i.e. mass excess as a function of neutron and proton numbers of lighter elements (Z = 1-25) (http://slideplayer.com/slide/1589163/)+Figure III.3. Energy valley, i.e. mass excess as a function of neutron and proton numbers of lighter elements (Z = 1-25) ([[http://slideplayer.com/slide/1589163/|energy valley]]).
  
 {{anchor:fusion}} {{anchor:fusion}}
textbook/nrctextbook/chapter3.1745494347.txt.gz · Last modified: 2025-04-24 13:32 by Merja Herzig

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