I'm a bit unclear as to what determines neutron scattering lengths, and hence why they can vary so much even between adjacent elements like Fe and Co. I gather it's related to resonant scattering, but I would be very grateful for an account (ideally not purely mathematical!) of how and why.
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1Isn't it surprising that chemical properties vary so much between adjacent elements like Xe and Cs? – Ivan Neretin Oct 18 '20 at 06:42
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Honestly, I would say no, because I can readily explain that by referring to atomic orbitals, whereas neutron scattering is a nuclear rather than electronic property. I don't think saying "Gosh, all chemical properties can vary significantly" is terrifically meaningful. I am aware that the variation is not random, which is why I asked the question. – atbm Oct 19 '20 at 07:48
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Well, nuclear properties also vary pretty significantly between neighboring elements. Indeed, these changes are unrelated to chemical properties. – Ivan Neretin Oct 19 '20 at 07:56