How do I determine the half life of an alpha particle?

[Galactonaut]

I am fairly new to nuclear chemistry and I was just curious as how to find the half life of a helium nucleus. Would it be the same as finding the half life of 1 neutron x2 and 1 proton x2? Or is this the completely wrong way to do this. Also would the half life be the same as a helium atom or completely different? This isn't for any homework assignment, I am just curious.

 

[mpv_plate]

Helium nucleus is stable, also helium atom is stable. Stability of atom is given by stability of its nucleus.

Standalone neutron half life is 15 minutes and it is not related to half life of various nuclei. There are effects in nucleus which "stabilize" the neutron.

 

[snorkack]

Helium nucleus is stable, also helium atom is stable. Stability of atom is given by stability of its nucleus.

Not completely. There are many unstable atoms with a stable nucleus, starting with beryllium 7, and a few stable atoms with unstable nucleus.

Standalone neutron half life is 15 minutes and it is not related to half life of various nuclei.

It is not unrelated, but the half-lives of various nuclei are not given by neutron lifetime. Rather, neutron is one nucleus of many, and the rules giving nucleus lifetime apply to free neutrons among others.

 

[Bill_K]

a few stable atoms with unstable nucleus.

I can't think of one, could you give an example?

 

[mfb]

There are many unstable atoms with a stable nucleus, starting with beryllium 7

All nuclei where electron capture is the only possible decay process, but I think those are quite rare.

a few stable atoms with unstable nucleus.

I am interested in an example here, too.

The helium 4 nucleus is stable if the proton is stable. If it is not, the individual nucleons in the nucleus can decay, and the nucleus has a lifetime comparable to the lifetime of protons (more than 10^30 years). The electrons are not relevant here.

 

[snorkack]

I can't think of one, could you give an example?

Dysprosium 163.

Not sure whether others exist or whether Dy-163 is the only one.

 

[ZapperZ]

Dysprosium 163.

Not sure whether others exist or whether Dy-163 is the only one.

One isn't "many".

What makes Dy163 an "unstable atom with a stable nucleus"? What is the characteristic of such a thing?

Zz.

 

[snorkack]

One isn't "many".

No, but "a few" includes one.

What makes Dy163 an "unstable atom with a stable nucleus"? What is the characteristic of such a thing?

Vice versa. It is a "stable atom with unstable nucleus".

Beryllium 7 is an "unstable atom with stable nucleus". Its nucleus is stable because it has no way to decay in the absence of available electrons. The atom is unstable because if an electron is around the nucleus, it is captured.

 

[mfb]

Nice, I thought of that option, but I did not know that such a nucleus exists.

What makes Dy163 an "unstable atom with a stable nucleus"? What is the characteristic of such a thing?

They $\beta^-$ decay energy is not sufficient to produce a free electron. If the inner shells are free, on the other hand, the nucleus can do a $\beta^-$ decay and produce a bound electron. Therefore, the atom is stable, but the nucleus (without electrons) is not.

 

[Vanadium 50]

It is true that there are ions that have different stability properties than neutral atoms. It is not only true, it's interesting.

Now, read the OP again, and tell me that this is helpful.