Is there an absolute limit to how big a nucleus (or atom) can be?

Question

In the periodic table, we have nuclei weighing more than 200 with more than 100 protons in the nucleus. Is this the limit of how big an atomic nucleus can get? And why?

Answer 1

Interesting article - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_stability

Answer 2

Atomic radii are all closely in the same order of dimension.
The reason is that when the atoms were designed a control mechanism ruled their structure.
The control mechanism related to rotational energy being maintained to form a stable atom. When a more massive atom is formed the formation component such as electron ,protons and neutron lose a certain amount of mass to form the new atom. This mass loss is called mass defect and is the price paid to maintain its rotational energy of structure.
As more atomic structure become more massive as indicated it the periodid table of elements ,it has been observed that their diameter changes very little and in some case the heavier element has the smaller radius.
The labs succeded to create new elements but with little life stability.iIt appears that the elements and compound as we know are here to stay a long time in a very stable formation.
Perhaps as the velocity and gravitational energy of the earth changes so will the radii of atoms ,but only very minute change.The atomic radii limits are sujects to neglible changes.
If the atoms in our bodies were to change drastically our size
would go hay wire.

Answer 3

The strong nuclear force that binds nucleons has a very short range, so it doesn't hold things together beyond a certain size. The electrostatic force has an infinite range, so once the strong force begins to slack off, the electrostatic repulsion will make the nucleus unstable. This is why you don't see huge nuclei.

Answer 4

Well, theoretically, probably not... However, in practical use, anything with a large nucleus will try to decompose itself through more than likely, radioactive means... This leads to stability and the highest stable form is lead. So, because of stablility, because we can have large nuclei, they are likely to break down in so fast a time, it is useless, and likely, unrecorded.

Answer 5

The environmental conditions set the maximum size. In our Sun's gravity well, the largest atoms we can artificially manufacture exist for less than three seconds.
In another Sun's solar system, we might be able to use the same technology to make even larger atoms which would last only a few seconds.

Answer 6

You can think of a black hole as a really big atom.
so your answer is infinite size.

Answer 7

to my opinion, i think so. .