Class Element

A special object representing each element.

Instance Methods

__init__(self, atomic_number=None, symbol=None, name=None, atomic_weight=None)
Set up the element object.

_add_isotope(self, A=None, atomic_mass=None, spin=None, gyromagnetic_ratio=None)
Add the isotope information for the element.

Method Details

__init__(self, atomic_number=None, symbol=None, name=None, atomic_weight=None)
(Constructor)

Set up the element object.

Parameters:

• atomic_number (int) - The atomic number.
• symbol (str) - The atomic symbol.
• name (str) - The chemical element name.
• atomic_weight (str) - The atomic weight number for the atom. This is a string as it uses the IUPAC notation of, for example, "[1.00784, 1.00811]" and "4.002602(2)" to represent ranges and uncertainty.

_add_isotope(self, A=None, atomic_mass=None, spin=None, gyromagnetic_ratio=None)

Add the isotope information for the element.

Parameters:

• A (int) - The mass number of the isotope.
• atomic_mass (str) - The atomic mass of the isotope. This uses the string notation with the uncertainty specified in brackets at the end.
• spin (int or float) - Nuclear spin or angular momentum of the isotope in units of h/2pi.
• gyromagnetic_ratio (float) - The nuclear gyromagnetic ratio.