Cf
Actinide
Californium
Z 98A 251mass 251
Slow-motion stage
Californium-251
proton
neutron
alpha particle (2p + 2n)
Parent nucleus · 251 nucleons
98 protons (coral) and 153 neutrons (blue) are packed together and held by the strong force.
A real decay takes about 10⁻²¹ s. At ⅓× this stage stretches it across eleven seconds.
Choose a reaction
Reaction
25198Cf24796Cm+42He
Two protons and two neutrons leave together as one helium nucleus.
Z
9896
-2
A
251247
-4
n⁰
153151
-2
Energy released
5.20MeVtypical value
Alpha particle5.117 MeV
Mass convertedE = Δm c²0.00558 u
In joules8.33 × 10-13 J
Compared with a bonda C–C bond is 3.6 eV≈ 1,444,444 ×
Measured alpha energies fall between 4 and 9 MeV.
The particle
- Charge
- +2
- Mass
- 4 u
- Speed
- About 5% of the speed of light
- Ionising power
- Very high
- Stopped by
- Stopped by a sheet of paper or dead skin