[Frater EIE]

Hello

I have a question to which I've been trying to research the answer, but the more I research the more and more confused I get. I'm not sure of this question would be categorized as "high school" chemistry, but here goes:

Of the 7 classic metals (tin, copper, iron, lead, mercury, silver, and gold), which element has the most naturally-occurring (not made in a particle accelerator, etc) isotopes, both stable and radioactive? The problem is I can't seem to get a straight answer, and the terminology confuses me. I know primordial is not what I'm looking for, since primordial isotopes are just those which have existed since before the Earth was formed. I've also noticed that often when looking up "naturally-occurring" isotopes, many times just the stable ones are included. And then when I don't know what to think when I get answers like "A total of 38 Pb isotopes are now known", what does that mean? Is this both naturally-occurring and man-made? Please help, I am really confused

Thanks
Frater EIE

[AWK]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotopes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_nuclides_(complete)
Stable isotopes means stable
Naturally occurred means all that can be found in nature without using engines for their synthesis.
Note - Sun is a natural engine that produce tritium and C-14 on the earth.

[Frater EIE]

Hello AWK

So tritium and C-14, would they be considered as naturally-occurring isotopes, since they are produced from a natural engine?

Does anyone know the answer to the original question? Of the 7 classic metals (tin, copper, iron, lead, mercury, silver, and gold), which element has the most naturally-occurring (not made in a particle accelerator, etc) isotopes, both stable and radioactive?

The problem is, in research,  I keep getting answers like this:
"There are four naturally occurring isotopes of iron, iron-54, iron-56, iron-57, and iron-58. Isotopes are two or more forms of an element. Isotopes differ from each other according to their mass number. The number written to the right of the element's name is the mass number. The mass number represents the number of protons plus neutrons in the nucleus of an atom of the element. The number of protons determines the element, but the number of neutrons in the atom of any one element can vary. Each variation is an isotope.

"Six radioactive isotopes of iron are known also. A radioactive isotope is one that breaks apart and gives off some form of radiation. Radioactive isotopes are produced when very small particles are fired at atoms. These particles stick in the atoms and make them radioactive."

Note that it differentiated between "naturally occurring" and "radioactive", which is ridiculous, because there are naturally occurring isotopes that are also radioactive. So, my problem is, I don't know where to turn to get the right numbers.

Please help

Thanks

Thanks

[AWK]

Just check table of nuclides form wikipedia