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Nuclear models and stability

The aim of this chapter is to understand howcertain combinations of N neutrons and Z

protons form bound states and to understandthe masses, spins and parities of those states.A nother aim of this chapter is to understandwhy certain nuclei are stable against thesedecays and what determines the dominantdecay modes of unstable nuclei.

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The black squares are long-lived nucleipresent on Earth. Unbound combinationsof ( N,Z) lie outside the lines marked last

proton/neutron unbound. Most other

nuclei -decay or -decay to long-livednuclei.

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