Any atom can theoreticaly be split by a high energy alpha particle?

Question

Is it true that any atom - besides Hydrogen with ony a proton, the most common isotope, can be split. If a high energy neutron or proton was to impact the nucleus of the atom, coulldn't it theoreticaly be split in two?
I don't meant that fission in the sense of a chian reaction but just splitting a nucleus?

Answer 1

Yes of course it can, theoritically.

For example, Ernest Rutherford did a nuclear transmutation of nitrogen atom

N-14 + alpha => O-17 + proton

But this reaction cannot be said as spitting of a nucleus.

Actually, when we talk about splitting atom, we actually refers to fission. Many did not know that fission can be done by using almost any nuclei, not necessarily just uranium.

But the higher the atomic number(or the mass number) , the easier for that nucleus to split because their average binding energy per nucleon is low. So as we see, mostly, the splitting of a nucleus is exclusively use for atom that high mass number such as uranium and plutonium.

But bear in mind, the atom with low mass number also can undergo splitting (aka fission). But since their binding energy per nucleon is quite high, the atoms are quite stable. Theoritically, u need a very high energies of bombarding particles to make them unstable. This can be done by using a very advance particle accelerator such as CERN.

I see u are still quite confused with what i said earlier.
As i said earlier, theoretically, any atom besides hydrogen can be split if it the bombarding particle has enough energy to excite the energy level of the nucleus to be greater than the binding energy of the nucleus.

It is all about probability.
U cannot be so sure that if u do this, the consequence is this, in atomic languange.

Let say the mean life time of H-3 (tritium) is 0.001 second. U cannot say that after 0.001 s, the H-3 will decay to something else. But there is a high chance that the atom will decay in that time interval. But u cannot be soo sure when the atom is gonna to decay. Maybe in 0.1s, maybe 0.01s maybe 0.0001s or maybe 1s. In nuclear physics, we always dealing with probability.

Example. U cannot say that if u bombarbed uranium it with a neutron, it will split to, say, antimony and niobium . Bcoz it may split into stanum and molybdenum,or it may split into platinum and silicon. It may not split at all even if u are using the same bombarding species with the same energy. No one can really be sure, what it will split into.

Back to the question. If u bombard the atom with neutron which has a very high energy, it may or may not cause the atom to split. But the probability for the atom to split is high is the energy supplied to the atom is very higher than its binding energy.

In short, i say that all atom can be split theoretically if the energy is high but it is only the probability.

Answer 2

All severe velocity debris are risky, consisting of a impartial helium atom. an outstanding alpha particle and a impartial helium atom are the two greater risky than a photon or a beta particle because of the fact they're the two greater huge, purely as a huge truck will harm your place greater suitable than a small motor vehicle shifting at a similar velocity.

Answer 3

Of course.. Throw enough energy at a nucleus and you'll definitely disrupt it.