A seed nucleus is an isotope that is the starting point for any of a variety of fusion chain reactions. The mix of nuclei produced at the conclusion of the chain reaction generally depends strongly on the relative availability of the seed nucleus or nuclei and the component being fused--whether neutrons as in the r-process and s-process or protons as in the rp-process. A smaller proportion of seed nuclei will generally result in products of larger mass, whereas a larger seed-to-neutron or seed-to-proton ratio will tend to produce comparatively lighter masses.
Famous quotes containing the words seed and/or nucleus:
“We are all androgynous, not only because we are all born of a woman impregnated by the seed of a man but because each of us, helplessly and forever, contains the other—male in female, female in male, white in black and black in white. We are a part of each other. Many of my countrymen appear to find this fact exceedingly inconvenient and even unfair, and so, very often, do I. But none of us can do anything about it.”
—James Baldwin (1924–1987)
“Just see how it glints and sparkles. Of course it is a nucleus and focus of crime. Every good stone is. They are the devil’s pet baits. In larger and older jewels every facet may stand for a bloody deed....”
—Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930)