Magic number (chemistry)

In case a gas condenses into clusters of atoms, the number of atoms in these clusters varies between a few and hundreds. However, there are peaks at specific sizes, usually one at lower and one at larger numbers. Often, specific numbers dominate. These numbers are called magic numbers, a term borrowed from the same concept in nuclear physics.

In this context, magic numbers often represent three-dimensional figurate numbers such as the octahedral numbers: they count the numbers of spheres in sphere packings of Platonic solids and related polyhedra.^[1][2]

See also

• Magic number (physics)

References

1. ^ Teo, Boon K.; Sloane, N. J. A. (1985), "Magic numbers in polygonal and polyhedral clusters", Inorganic Chemistry 24 (26): 4545–4558, doi:10.1021/ic00220a025, http://www2.research.att.com/~njas/doc/magic1/magic1.pdf .
2. ^ Feldheim, Daniel L.; Foss, Colby A. (2002), Metal nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization, and applications, CRC Press, p. 76, ISBN 9780824706043, http://books.google.com/books?id=-u9tVYWfRcMC&pg=PA76 .