But are the nuclei of atoms really round? Intuitively, this form is logical and the physicists believed that it explained the early measures of nuclear properties. It was not until years later that the first proof of a more complex image began to emerge.
First of all, let’s explore the architecture of the atom. Formed from a group of protons and neutrons in the center of an atom, a nucleus is 10,000 times smaller than the atom as a whole, “like a fly in a cathedral,” said David Jenkins A nuclear physicist at the University of York in the United Kingdom Despite most of the mass of an atom, the nucleus itself has very little impact on the properties of the atom at first glance. The chemistry of an atom is determined by the configuration of electrons, while all the physical characteristics arise from the way in which it interacts with other atoms.
In addition to the idea of electron shells in atomic physics, in 1949, scientists proposed the Nuclear shell model
“But later, it has become obvious that most behaviors in the nuclei have been described by what you call collective behavior – it acts as a coherent object,” Jenkins told Live Science. The result is that the nucleus as a whole can then demonstrate two types of properties: it can turn or it can vibrate.
In relation: Where do the electrons get energy to turn around the nucleus of an atom?
Spectroscopic methods can detect this rotation in most molecules, measuring a fingerprint of different levels of rotation energy. But spherical objects seem from the same direction to management, therefore symmetrical systems – as atoms
“The only way you can see proof of rotation in the nuclei is if the nucleus is distorted,” said Jenkins. “And people have seen that the nucleus has excitement models called rotation strips, so that the nucleus is distorted.”
Since this astonishing discovery in the 1950s, targeted experiences have revealed a raft of nuclear forms, from pears
“We do not know why this prolate form seems more favorable than the Oblate form,” said Jenkins. “Some nuclei also have several forms so that they can present one in the fundamental state, then you put energy there and they deform in another form.”
The more exotic pear -shaped nucleus is limited to certain areas of the nuclear graphic, in particular around radium, while spherical nuclei are generally confined to atoms with “magic” (or full shells) of nuclear particles. But what causes distortion?
“It is intuitive that the basic form of an object is not excited or flickering or stretched must be spherical,” said Paul Stevenson A nuclear physicist at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom “but in fact, in the case of nuclei, it is surprising that one of them is spherical because they obey the laws of quantum mechanics.”
THE Schrödinger equation quantum mechanics
“The basic solutions of the Schrödinger equation do not seem spherical – you get these forms that go in a circle, but then they start to agitate,” said Stevenson. “So, because these quantum wave-wave solutions themselves have asymmetry, this makes particles in the nucleus more likely to point in a direction.”
For rare spherical nuclei, this ripples cancels. But scientists do not yet understand the reason – or if there is even one – why some of these distorted forms are much more common than others.
“It reverses an inheritance,” said Jenkins. “It is a complete reversal of how people originally perceived the nuclei, and there are still a lot of open questions.”
