Re: Peroidic Table (was exclusion principle which was electrons)

[Larry Cartwright <exit60@CABLESPEED.COM>]

Charles Bell wrote:
> Uranium atoms are football shaped, not round.
> I remember from the liquid drop model that Uranium and Plutonium and other
> transuranics are football shaped and that when they absorb a neutron they
> fission when the ends bulge out and form asymetrical smaller drops.
> Diameter might not be  good parameter.

Uranium *nuclei* (as well as the nuclei of other Lanthanides and
Actinides) are "football shaped" prolate spheroids according to the
Bohr-Wheeler liquid drop model.

The shape of the uranium *atom* is determined by the outer electron
shells and is as nearly spherical as smaller atoms.  Diameter should be
as meaningful a parameter for uranium *atoms* as it is for smaller
atoms.

Best wishes,

Larry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larry Cartwright               Retired Physics Teacher
<exit60@cablespeed.com>        Charlotte MI 48813 USA
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"Information is not knowledge,
 knowledge is not wisdom,
 and wisdom is not foresight.
 Each grows out of the other and we need them all."
                                    (Arthur C. Clarke)
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