Probing long-lived radioactive isotopes on the double-logarithmic Segrè chart
Isotopes have been widely applied in a variety of scientific subjects; many aspects of isotopes, however, remain not well understood. In this study, I investigate the relation between the number of neutrons (N) and the number of protons (Z) in stable isotopes of non-radioactive elements and long-liv...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Chemistry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2024.1057928/full |
| Summary: | Isotopes have been widely applied in a variety of scientific subjects; many aspects of isotopes, however, remain not well understood. In this study, I investigate the relation between the number of neutrons (N) and the number of protons (Z) in stable isotopes of non-radioactive elements and long-lived isotopes of radioactive elements at the double-linear scale (conventional Segrè chart) and the double-logarithmic scale. Statistical analyses show that N is a power-law function of Z for these isotopes: N = 0.73 × Z1.16. This power-law relation provides better predictions for the numbers of neutrons in stable isotopes of non-radioactive elements and long-lived isotopes of radioactive elements than the linear relation on the conventional Segrè chart. The power-law pattern reveled here offers empirical guidance for probing long-lived isotopes of unknown radioactive elements. |
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| ISSN: | 2296-2646 |