According to the nuclear shell model, which of the following pairs of elements/isotopes possesses "m — Nuclear Chemistry and Radioactivity Chemistry Question
Question
According to the nuclear shell model, which of the following pairs of elements/isotopes possesses "magic numbers" for both protons and neutrons, rendering them exceptionally stable?
Answer: A
💡 Solution & Explanation
Magic numbers for nucleons are 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, 126, etc. Nuclei with magic numbers of both protons and neutrons are highly stable. For ${}_{8}^{16}O$, $p=8, n=8$. For ${}_{20}^{40}Ca$, $p=20, n=20$. Since 8 and 20 are magic numbers, both possess magic numbers of protons and neutrons.
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