STABLE OR UNSTABLE?

Purpose
To determine which
isotopes are stable and
Legend: - stable isotopes
unstable.
- radioactive isotope

Materials 30
Periodic Table of
Elements
Ruler

25
Procedure

1. Examine the close-up

graph of the proton-
neutron ratio of a few 20
Number of neutrons (N)

nuclides.

Q1. What do the

numbers in the x- 15
axis represent?
Q2. What do the
numbers in the y-
axis represent?
Q3. How can the mass 10
number of the
nuclide be
determined from
the graph?
5

2. On the graph locate

the element that has
one (1) proton and
zero (0) neutron.
The nuclear symbol 5 10 15 20
for this element
Number of Protons (Z)
would be 11 H . The
isotopes for 11 H are
2 3
1 H and 1 H . Can you locate all this information from the graph and your periodic table
of elements?

3. Now, do the same to the isotopes of the element with Z=2 and 3.

Q4. How many stable isotopes does elements with Z = 1, 2, and 3 each have?
Q5. How many unstable isotopes does each have?

Unit 2. Energy in the Environment Lesson Plan 2.26 – Isotopes: Stable or Unstable 2- 128
 4. Select four (4) elements with even atomic numbers (e.g. 4, 6, 8, etc). For each element
you have chosen, list down all the stable isotopes. Write your answers in a table similar
to one below:
Table 2.26.1. Data for elements with even atomic numbers
Element Nuclear Symbol Number of Number of Comments
for stable protons, Z neutrons, N (pattern
isotopes observed for
proton-neutron
combination)
Example: 3
2 He 2 1 Even-odd
Helium, He 4 2 2 Even – even
2 He
1.

2.

3.

4.

5. Choose four elements having odd atomic numbers. Again list the stable isotopes for
these elements you have chosen. Enter your answers in Table 2.26.2

Table 2.26.2. Data for stable isotopes with odd atomic numbers
Element Nuclear Symbol Number of Number of Comments
for stable protons, Z neutrons, N (pattern observed
isotopes for proton-
neutron
combination)
Example: 10
5 B 5 5 Odd -odd
Boron, B 11 5 6 Odd – even
5 B
1.

2.

3.

4.

Q5. Look at the last columns of the two tables above. What is the most common type of
proton – neutron combination for stable isotopes? State this “rule” for deciding about
the stability of the isotope.

Q6. Are there exceptions to these rules?

Unit 2. Energy in the Environment Lesson Plan 2.26 – Isotopes: Stable or Unstable 2- 129
Applying the Rules:
Use the “rule” you have made to decide whether the following nuclides are stable or not:

Nuclide Number of Number of Pattern for Stable or

protons, Z neutrons, N proton-neutron Unstable
combination
87
1. 37 Rb
127
2. 53 I
214
3. 84 Po
101
4. 44 Ru
63
5. 29 Cu
88
6. 38 Sr
137
7. 56 Ba
90
8. 39Y

Unit 2. Energy in the Environment Lesson Plan 2.26 – Isotopes: Stable or Unstable 2- 130