New ‘doubly magic’ atom of tin created

Tin, a material whose name is sometimes synonymous with “dull,” has a secret side that’s extraordinary, physicists say. Scientists have succeeded in creating a new type of tin atom with “magic” properties and in studying it in more detail than ever before. The nuclei of normal tin atoms are made of 50 protons and 62 neutrons, creating a stable substance called tin-112 (or 112Sn, which is the chemical symbol for tin). However, scientists can make a special version of tin with exactly 50 protons and 50 neutrons, creating a “doubly magic” atom with equal numbers of its nucleus’ ingredients. In the new study, physicists created this tin-100 and analyzed its decay to reveal some of its…

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