Just a question...What is the half life of carbon 12? If all elements will eventually decay to iron 56, how long will that be? I have heard of the universe eventually becoming "cold iron" (assuming that there is insufficient mass to stop expansion).
L.P.
I think I read the same thing quite a few years ago. Carbon 12 is technically stable, but through quantum mechanical tunneling it will eventually decay. I remember doing the calculations, but due to senility, I'm unable to repeat them. Iron was supposed to be the most stable. The other elements would decay faster.
I think we were using the shell model of the nucleus as the basis for our calculations. I'm not sure though. Time for ice cream.