When Will We Reach the End of the Periodic Table?

Smithsonian ^ | 19 Jan, 2016 | Devin Powell

[UCANSEE2]

What not is seen is believed to be real.

Besides being awkward grammar, it doesn't make sense. Was it supposed to ?

[UCANSEE2]

At both ends of the scale we find no end.

Our estimate of the size of the Universe has grown as our equipment has improved. Yet we cannot find the end.

Our estimate of the size of the smallest ‘particle’ of matter has decreased as our equipment has improved. Yet we cannot find the end.

As it stands, scientifically, the Universe is infinite.

[Ransomed]

It seems strange that hydrogen is the lightest element so far, and it is so common, supposedly making up most of normal matter. That and the speed of light are the two weird limits or end points I can think of.

Freegards

[Rebelbase]

“The Protons in the nucleus repel each other. “

Reminds me of my ex.

[UCANSEE2]

Can/does infinitely large occupy the same space as infinitely small?

It all depends on your point of view.

From the atom's perspective, If one were standing on a nucleus of an atom, the distance to the nearest electron might seem like infinity.

To someone on a planet around Proxima Centauri the distance between the Star we call the Sun and the Earth is infinitely small, so small as not to even be detectable.

And yet, both are in the same exact space.

[UCANSEE2]

While the universe is very large, it has limits.

So far, the only known limit to the Universe is the Speed Limit.

[UCANSEE2]

The BIG BANG THEORY: One assumes the big bang occurred at a single point

Which must mean there is a single point in the Universe from which everything is moving away.

For a long time science declared that point was Earth.

Now they find that everything is moving in different directions at different speeds. So they claim that it's space itself that is expanding and everything is moving away from each other while moving in random other directions including towards each other with spectacular results when crashing together.

HEAT DEATH (entropy) : The theory that all the energy was created at the big bang, and it slowly burns out over time. Yet as old stars die out, new stars are born.

So, the facts don't fit the theory, at all.

[UCANSEE2]

no matter where you draw an end point you can always +1, in perpetuity.

Unless you run out of ink. Ink is finite.

[UCANSEE2]

Neptunium is proof that if you take something radioactive and dangerous, like Uranium, and bombard it with extremely high energy, you can make something more radioactive and dangerous.

[UCANSEE2]

A minuscule amount of U 238 decays by beta to Np 238 which decays to Pu 238 also by beta. Pu 238 decays by alpha to U 234 then to Th 230, etc.

So... when does it become safe to eat ?

[Larry Lucido]

If they discover bigbangium, they might want to treat it gently.

[UCANSEE2]

It seems strange that hydrogen is the lightest element so far, and it is so common, supposedly making up most of normal matter.

Maybe hydrogen is the easiest thing for the Universe to make (requires the least amount of energy).

[UCANSEE2]

In other words, infinity is not science. It is nothing more than a god, taken on faith without anything to prove (or disprove) it's existence.

Pretty clever GOD is. (awkward grammar, I admit)

[UCANSEE2]

I agree. No matter what else any of us say on this thread tonight, nothing can beat that.

[UCANSEE2]

Reminds me of my ex.

She must have bumped into a quark and acquired a negative charge.

[SunkenCiv]

I hope it’s soon, getting a new tablecloth every couple of years is a pain. ;’)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Thunder90.

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[Redleg Duke]

When Tom Leher dies!

[AdmSmith]

Only time will tell, while it is difficult for us now to explore the assumed Island of Stability, we do not have very precise theories for super heavy nucleus. There are several ideas that are used.

Although the uncertainties in the quadrupole deformation of the ground states of known superheavy nuclei are small, they increase on approaching nuclei with Z = 120 and/or N = 184. As a result, even the ground state deformations of these nuclei (whether spherical or oblate) cannot be predicted with certainty.
http://arxiv.org/pdf/1510.07909.pdf

I guess (No, I hope) that there will be a second Island of Stability even further up. The world would be more interesting if that is the case. ;-)