2. Nuclear constants

Table 2 gives the nuclear constants of the various elements. The following characteristics are listed in the various columns of this table.

• Atomic number Z of element

  The corresponding chemical symbol is given, along with the name. This atomic number indicates the number of protons contained in the nucleus and therefore the number of electrons orbiting this nucleus in the neutral atom.

• Mass number A of the corresponding isotope

  This is the number of nucleons (neutrons + protons) making up the nuclide.

  The symbol m indicates the presence of a metastable state (also called an isomeric state). This is an excited state of the nucleus with a detectable lifetime...