Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: James 1 on 20/07/2009 15:30:03

Title: What affects the stability of new heavy elements?
Post by: James 1 on 20/07/2009 15:30:03

James Passas  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Hi Chris,
 
I watched a documentary last night, in which it was suggested that a stable element with an atomic number of 115 could exist (although not on the Earth), in which gravity waves could extend beyond the surface of the element.  These could be amplified, phase changed & projected to provide flight by levitation by locally cancelling out the Earth's gravitational field.  Is there any truth at all in this, or is it pure science fiction?  
 
Regards,
 
James.  

What do you think?

Title: What affects the stability of new heavy elements?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 20/07/2009 21:53:35

Precisely where did you see this information. It sounds more like science fiction than documentary. What you are saying does not make much sense to me.

Title: What affects the stability of new heavy elements?
Post by: James 1 on 22/07/2009 19:27:20

It was one of those things about UFO's on Discovery channel. 

I'm sure it's nonsense, really, but it just seems like such an intriguing idea! 

Title: What affects the stability of new heavy elements?
Post by: chris on 23/07/2009 21:53:22

Mmm - I'm very sceptical. What determines the stability of a nucleus has little to do with gravity and much to do with the other nuclear forces which, at the range and sizes we're considering here, I'd suggest are far more significant (by orders of magnitude) than gravity. There are some nuclear configurations (proton / neutron combos) that are stable and some which are not. Unumbium (the as yet un-named "new" element number 112) hangs around for less than a second. But the researchers in Germany who've made it suspect that there are super-heavy elements beyond 118 that are far more stable.

Chris