Single Idea 17480

[catalogued under 27. Natural Reality / F. Chemistry / 3. Periodic Table]

Full Idea

In general, nuclear charge is the overwhelming determinant of an element's chemical behaviour, while nuclear mass is a negligible factor.

Gist of Idea

Generally it is nuclear charge (not nuclear mass) which determines behaviour

Source

Robin F. Hendry (Chemistry [2008], 'Micro')

Book Reference

'Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science', ed/tr. Psillos,S/Curd,M [Routledge 2010], p.522


A Reaction

The exception is the isotopes of very light elements light hydrogen.

Related Ideas

Idea 17477 Defining elements by atomic number allowed atoms of an element to have different masses [Hendry]

Idea 17481 Nuclear charge (plus laws) explains electron structure and spectrum, but not vice versa [Hendry]