Determine whether or not each nuclide is likely to be stable. State your reasons. a. Mg-26 b. Ne-25 c. Co-51

Key Concepts

Nuclear Stability

Nuclear stability refers to the ability of a nucleus to remain intact without undergoing radioactive decay. Stable nuclides have a balanced ratio of protons to neutrons, which helps to counteract the repulsive forces between protons. Generally, nuclides with a neutron-to-proton ratio close to 1:1 are more likely to be stable, while those with extreme ratios tend to be unstable and radioactive.

Isotopes and Their Stability

Isotopes are variants of a chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. The stability of an isotope can vary significantly; for example, some isotopes are stable while others are radioactive and decay over time. Understanding the specific isotopes of an element, such as Co-51, is crucial for predicting their stability and behavior in nuclear reactions.

Magic Numbers in Nuclear Physics

Magic numbers are specific numbers of nucleons (protons or neutrons) that result in particularly stable configurations of the nucleus. These numbers correspond to complete shells of nucleons, leading to enhanced stability. For example, nuclei with 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, or 126 nucleons are often more stable, while those that do not align with these magic numbers may be more prone to instability and decay.