Chart of the nuclides
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A Chart of Nuclides is a graphic in which nuclides are drawn such that the x-axis contains the number of neutrons and the y-axis contains the number of protons, which defines the element. This system of ordering nuclides can offer a greater insight into the characteristics of elements and isotopes than the more well known periodic table.
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[edit] Description and utility
A Chart of Nuclides (capitalization not required) describes the nuclear, or radioactive, behaviour of a nuclide by discriminating between different isotopes of the same element. A periodic table only classifies elements chemically, while isotopes do not differ chemically because they are all the same element and all have identical chemical behavior. A Chart of Nuclides organizes isotopes in such a way that the number of neutrons varies along the X axis and the number of protons varies along the Y axis. This representation in a proton/neutron map system was first the fact of Fea in 1934, it was continuated by Emilio Segrè in 1945. It has become a tool for the nuclear community with various contributions; wallchart versions (i.e. Karlsruher Nuklidkarte since 1958, Strasbourg Universal Nuclide Chart 1992), and several electronic or online charts available from different institutions.
[edit] Trends in the Chart of Nuclides
- Isotopes - Nuclides that neighbor each other horizontally; nuclides that have the same number of protons, or all of the same chemical element. Example: Carbon-13 and Carbon-14
- Isotones - Nuclides that neighbor each other vertically; nuclides that have the same number of neutrons. Example: Carbon-12 and Boron-11.
- Isobars - Nuclides that neighbor each other up-and-to-the-left and down-and-to-the-right; nuclides that have the same mass number. Example: Carbon-12 and Boron-12.
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[edit] External sources
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