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Judi Lynn

(160,530 posts)
Sat Jun 9, 2018, 05:40 PM Jun 2018

Here's The Mind-Boggling Reason The Periodic Table Doesn't Seem to Have an End


We have so much left to discover.

MIKE MCRAE 9 JUN 2018

As researchers around the globe race to create the next element on the periodic table - an atom that contains 119 protons - one scientist from Michigan State University is looking into where the table might end.

While there's no conclusive answer, it seems we still have a lot left to discover.

According to nuclear physicist Witold Nazarewicz, there are good reasons to think the periodic table can't be infinite. But that doesn't make predicting its limits any easier.

Right now the current heavyweight champion of atoms and the last entry on the table is the element oganesson, which in its brief flicker of existence was shown to contain 118 protons and 176 neutrons.

More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/physics-perspective-superheavy-atoms-beyond-periodic-table
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