- #1
iced199
- 29
- 1
Why is it that those atoms, with atomic numbers of 90 and 92 have much, much longer half lives than atoms like Radon, Radium, and Polonium? I do realize that atoms with even atomic numbers are more stable than ones with odd numbers, so it makes sense why atoms like astatine, actinium, and francium are really unstable, but why do elements 90 and 92 have half lives in the billions of years? No other unstable element, besides bismuth (but its really close to lead, so it makes sense why its almost stable) have such extraordinary lives. It seems like these two elements have some kind of a boost in stability - they don't follow the general trend towards instability at all.