Elements 118 and higher = why?

[Gara]

let's asume that the higher we go, the more stable the element is, or so i am lead to believe.

let's asume that at 160, it is perfectly stable. what would be the point? what i mean is, what could we use such a heavy material for? construction? AP ammo? engine blocks?

it seems to me there are 3 key points to using one material over another.

1) weight
2) strength
3) volume

eg, you could make a Titanium sword. It would be stronger, and lighter, but it's "volume" would be greatly larger. if it came to engine blocks of a car, this would be bad cos it would make the engine much larger (albeit stronger and lighter)

so what would such a heavy element be good for?

which element has the highest strengh to weight ratio?

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caution, the above poster may have no idea what he's talking about.

 

[Nereid]

let's asume that the higher we go, the more stable the element is, or so i am lead to believe.

Are you referring to the island of stability? 'Stability' is rather relative; there is an expectation that some nuclides near element 114 will be considerably more stable than heavier and lighter ones, but the expected half-lives are still no more than seconds (or much less). Not much good for car engine blocks

 

[Gara]

i was talking about that, yes. but what about after that?

 

[russ_watters]

eg, you could make a Titanium sword. It would be stronger, and lighter, but it's "volume" would be greatly larger. if it came to engine blocks of a car, this would be bad cos it would make the engine much larger (albeit stronger and lighter)

Actually, no - strength of material is generally in terms of volume or area, ie tensile strength is pounds per square inch. Titanium both has a higher tensile strength than steel and a higher strength to weight ratio. So a titanium sword would be both stronger and lighter than a steel one of identical proportions.

which element has the highest strengh to weight ratio?

I think its titanium, but you can exceed that with alloys and carbon composites.

 

[Nereid]

i was talking about that, yes. but what about after that?

... the nuclides become increasingly unstable, with half-lives of microseconds or less (OK, maybe one or two get to live as long as a millisecond).

 

[Glenn]

A titantium sword might not really be an effective weapon.

If it were a "thrusting" weapon like a foil or an epee, it might be nice because it would minimize fatigue on the combatant.

But if titanium were used on a "slashing" weapon such as a sabre, it might not be effective because it doesn't carry as much momentum to it's target.

-Glenn

 

[Entropy]

which element has the highest strengh to weight ratio?

BEC Helium is the strongest material known to man.

But if you're talking about something more down-to-Earth, then diamond is the strongest.

Both only contain one element!

 

[Seiya Hilendith]

How about Lithium in a Vacuum? I am sure it has a large strength to weight ratio, if only because of its low weight.

 

[PeteGt]

WE also worry about shearing forces. Eg Depleted uranium is agreat for shells because is shows a phenominae called Adiabatic Shearing force.