ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Table of nuclides

Okay, so imagine if instead of toys or books, everything around you was made of tiny little building blocks called atoms. Now, each of these atoms is made up of even smaller parts such as protons, neutrons and electrons.

The table of nuclides is like a big chart that helps us understand all the different types of atoms that can exist, based on the number of protons and neutrons they have. It’s kind of like a map, with each square on the map representing a different type of atom.

The chart is organized in rows and columns, and each box represents a different type of atom, called a nuclide. The numbers at the top and side of the chart tell you how many protons (the top number) and how many neutrons (the side number) each nuclide has.

So for example, if you look at the box with 5 protons and 6 neutrons, you’ll see that it represents a different atom than the box next to it with 5 protons and 7 neutrons.

Scientists use this chart to study atoms and how they interact with each other. It helps them understand things like nuclear reactions, radioactive decay, and how atoms can be used in everything from medicine to energy production.