If an unstable isotope contained 5 protons and 8 neutrons, how many neutrons would need to decay to make the unstable isotope stable?
To determine the number of neutrons that would need to decay for the unstable isotope to become stable, we need to find the appropriate ratio of protons to neutrons for a stable isotope.
Typically, stable isotopes have a roughly equal number of protons and neutrons, as this balance helps to maintain the nucleus' stability. This balance can vary slightly depending on the element, but we can assume an approximate 1:1 ratio of protons to neutrons for simplicity.
In the given case, the unstable isotope contains 5 protons and 8 neutrons. We can calculate the number of excess neutrons by subtracting the number of protons from the number of neutrons: 8 - 5 = 3 excess neutrons.
To achieve greater stability, three of these excess neutrons need to decay. Keep in mind that this is a simplified explanation since the stability of an isotope can be influenced by other factors as well.