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Atomic Weight of Naquadah

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    Atomic Weight of Naquadah

    I've always had this problem with Naquadah: it is specifically described as an "element" in several places, yet it's not one we're familiar with. Well, the only ones we're unfamiliar with don't exist in nature. There's no room to slide any more in, either. (For those of you who don't know, "elements" are pure atoms, in their most basic form, not mixed with anything else. Each atom has a unique atomic number, i.e. the number of protons in its nucleus. We know the atomic weights of each naturally occurring element, from atomic number 1 (hydrogen) to 92 (uranium), in a straight sequence with no gaps. We've also been able to manufacture heavier elements in the lab (93-112; 114; 116; 118).

    The thing is, the heavier elements are inherently unstable (i.e. radioactive). Intensely so; that's why uranium is used in atomic weapons and reactors. And the higher the atomic number, the more unstable and radioactive it is; the newest elements to be created/discovered only lasted a few seconds before decaying into lighter, stabler elements (giving off radiation in the process). Since the lighter elements are so well-known, any new element has to be higher than 112. Which means _highly_ unstable and radioactive. And this is the stuff they mine out of the ground with picks and axes, and make into everything? This is the stuff that Carter's got inside her? Why, I asked myself, didn't they all die of radiation poisoning?

    At last, I have my answer. I was watching a program on the Science channel this morning about the most important scientific discoveries of 2004, and they started talking about the new elements discovered last year. In the conversation, they mentioned that scientists are fairly sure that once you hit an atomic number of 130 or so, the elements would start to be stable again. Why they believe that they didn't say.

    But who cares! It solves the problem with Naquadah. Naquadah is indeed an element with a high atomic weight, probably somewhere in the 130's. That would also explain why pure naquadah is so heavy; it would have to be somewhere around twice the weight of lead. (Lead (Pb) has an atomic number of 82, a little over half that of what Naquadah would have to be.)

    So I propose an addition to the Periodic Table . I think Nh would be a good symbol for it (Na is already taken; it's sodium). Though I could be persuaded to go with Nq. Whatcha think?
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    #2
    Interesting, it would be a high number, but the raw naquada was not pure it does need to be refined, but I probably don't know what i'm talking about.
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      #3
      Fat.

      --someone had to say it.

      -IMF
      "There's not a little boy born who wouldn't tear the world apart to save his mummy... and this little boy can." --The Doctor.
      "The plastic tips at the ends of shoelaces are called Aglets. Their true purpose is sinister."--The Question.
      BAD WOLF!!!

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        #4
        I wonder what an actual deposit would look like. And why would earth not have any?
        Two apples get you nothing unless your buying a banana.

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          #5
          Even if it was all used by the Anceints before they left our planet wouldn't there still be some traces over the years? Wouldn't the Earth naturally replace it when they left?
          Two apples get you nothing unless your buying a banana.

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            #6
            I don't think Naquada is present on every planet, it seems to me to be present on about 50% ?? of planets.
            So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains,
            And we never even know we have the key.
            Already Gone---------
            The Eagles-----------

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              #7
              Actually I think I remember hearing that Earth never had it.
              Two apples get you nothing unless your buying a banana.

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                #8
                I think they said naquadah does not occur naturally in our solar system on several occations.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by UnderT
                  Interesting, it would be a high number, but the raw naquada was not pure it does need to be refined, but I probably don't know what i'm talking about.
                  Maybe in the series they are using refining differently than you are here. They may just mean removing the other substances that were taken out of the ground while mining the naquada? That would not be using the term correctly for the SG fellows but it would explain the contradiction and it wouldn't be the first time terminology has been misused.

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by Beatrice
                    .... scientists are fairly sure that once you hit an atomic number of 130 or so, the elements would start to be stable again.
                    <nods> In Torment of Tantalus, waay back in season one, Ernest said that there were 146 elements catalogued in the "Meaning of Life stuff" book.
                    Gracie

                    A Cherokee elder sitting with his grandchildren told them,
                    "In every life there is a terrible fight – a fight between two wolves.
                    One is evil: he is fear, anger, envy, greed, arrogance, self-pity,
                    resentment, and deceit. The other is good: joy, serenity, humility,
                    confidence, generosity, truth, gentleness, and compassion."
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                    The elder looked the child in the eye. "The one you feed."


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                      #11
                      Originally posted by IMForeman
                      Fat.

                      --someone had to say it.

                      -IMF
                      I just remembered what that was refering to. LOL

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                        #12
                        Originally posted by DelTrax1
                        Even if it was all used by the Anceints before they left our planet wouldn't there still be some traces over the years? Wouldn't the Earth naturally replace it when they left?
                        Exactly. Assuming that there ever was naq in our solar system, which, according to show canon, there is not, and assuming the Ancients were somehow able to mine every last gram of the stuff from Earth, more would have eventually made its way to the surface of planets from the crucible of Earth's core in the millions of years since the Ancients would have stopped mining it here. This very fact proves, to me, at least, that the Ancients are not native to Earth.
                        Gracie

                        A Cherokee elder sitting with his grandchildren told them,
                        "In every life there is a terrible fight – a fight between two wolves.
                        One is evil: he is fear, anger, envy, greed, arrogance, self-pity,
                        resentment, and deceit. The other is good: joy, serenity, humility,
                        confidence, generosity, truth, gentleness, and compassion."
                        A child asked, "Grandfather, which wolf will win?"
                        The elder looked the child in the eye. "The one you feed."


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                          #13
                          as naquadah and naquadria exist I think they might be referring to a compound.
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                            #14
                            Originally posted by Chyndonax
                            Maybe in the series they are using refining differently than you are here. They may just mean removing the other substances that were taken out of the ground while mining the naquada? That would not be using the term correctly for the SG fellows but it would explain the contradiction and it wouldn't be the first time terminology has been misused.
                            If we're talking about a mineral then refining would be freeing from impurities. Raw naquadah might well be an ore, in which case it would be a compound, not dissimilar to haematite, or simply a mixture of naquadah and assorted impurities.

                            Naquadriah would have the same atomic number as naquadah, but most likely a higher atomic weight, since the description of it is most compatible with an unstable isotope, rather than a separate element.

                            Finally, remember that naquadah makes a tragic mockery of about 90% of conventional physical laws.
                            Behold the majesty that is...GERALD!
                            - Read The Prophet's fan fiction at The Lost Vegas Public Library.

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                              #15
                              according to 'red sky' its around 200.
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