- #1
Nathan Warford
- 23
- 1
I have seen numerous sources for radii of atomic nuclii of various elements. One of the most common is the simple equation r=1.2 fm×A⅓, which makes sense if the nuclear density is constant for all elements and all isotopes. However, I've also found a table of measured nuclear charge radii that differ greatly from what that equation suggests they should be:
https://www-nds.iaea.org/radii/
This is probably most apparent with the nuclii of deuterium and tritium, with deuterium having a radius of 2.1421 fm and tritium having a much smaller radius of 1.7591 fm despite having one more nucleon. How can this discrepancy be reconciled?
Also, despite all of my research, I'm having a hard time figuring out what it means for the isolated neutron to have a negative charge radius. Can someone help me decipher that?
https://www-nds.iaea.org/radii/
This is probably most apparent with the nuclii of deuterium and tritium, with deuterium having a radius of 2.1421 fm and tritium having a much smaller radius of 1.7591 fm despite having one more nucleon. How can this discrepancy be reconciled?
Also, despite all of my research, I'm having a hard time figuring out what it means for the isolated neutron to have a negative charge radius. Can someone help me decipher that?