Qrkchrm

Qrkchrm t1_iyvcg6u wrote

Just like electrons have orbital shells that affect chemical stability, the nucleus has quantum states with different binding energies. In general even numbers of protons and neutrons are higher binding energy that odd numbers. Helium 4 is particularly high binding energy, as it is double magic.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_number_(physics)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_binding_energy#/media/File%3ABinding_energy_curve_-_common_isotopes.svg

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