Re: [Phys-l] question on radioactivity of Tc and Pm

[Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@redshift.com>]

Check for the even/oddness of the nucleons and look into magic numbers 
-- remember the nucleus is a bit like the atom in this way.

bc, writes off the top of his head.

Eric Scerri wrote:

> I would be interested to learn why these two elements are radioactive  
> even though they have relatively low atomic numbers.
>
> This is true of Tc especially, for which Z = 43.
> For Pm Z = 61.
>
> Subsequent elements are not radioactive until one reaches Po (Z =84)  
> and all subsequent elements.
> What is special about Tc and Pm ?
>
>
>
> regards,
> eric scerri
>
>
> P.S.  I cover basic nuclear physics and nucleosynthesis in the final  
> chapter of my new book but was not able to answer this nagging question.
>
>
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