Question

What is the band of stability?

Answer 1

Hint: This is a concept of nuclear chemistry. This chemistry deals with the nature of nucleus, atoms, the subatomic particles that are involved which are protons, neutrons and electrons. Whether a nucleus is stable or not is defined by the number of neutrons and number of protons involved in a nucleus.

Complete answer:
We have to remember that a nucleus is said to be stable if it takes energy from another source and is still not able to convert itself into other configurations. A plot is drawn between the number of neutrons and the number of protons to get stable nuclei and it’s found that for stable isotopes it falls in a narrow region; this region is termed as a band of stability it can also be known as a belt. When we draw a plot between number of neutrons and the number of protons we observe a straight line which defines the ratio of protons and neutrons as \[1:1\]. Number of neutrons to be taken on y axis whereas number of protons will be on x axis. The nuclei which are lighter are said to be stable nuclei. For example if we see an isotope of carbon-\[12\] it has six protons and six neutrons thus it is said to be a stable nucleus since it is a lighter element. Also, the ratio of number of protons and neutrons is \[1:1\]which defines stable nuclei. On the other hand heavier elements are not considered to have stable nuclei since they have more number of neutrons and protons and the ratio of number of protons and neutrons will not be \[1:1\]. Since, they need a large number of neutrons to compensate for the electrostatic forces that hold the nucleus together.

Note:
We have to remember that the nuclei is said to be stable if it has the ration for no. of protons and no. of neutrons to be \[1:1\]and if the ration is not \[1:1\], the nuclei is not considered to be stable. Nitrogen-\[14\] is a lighter element thus it is stable in nature.