He does an excellent job explaining things and put it to me like this.
Elements to the Left of Iron can undergo fusion and release energy, Elements to the right can undergo fission and release energy.
Iron IS the line because it needs energy to do either of these.
All elements want to find stability, and Iron is that Element because it needs energy for either fission or fusion.
So yes, Iron is the dividing line and this is what makes it so stable.
Edit: forgot to link the chart when referencing left or right..
http://www.splung.com/content/sid/5/page/benergy
(Yes I know it's technically mesons at the scale we're talking about but it doesn't rhyme so there)
He does an excellent job explaining things and put it to me like this.
Elements to the Left of Iron can undergo fusion and release energy, Elements to the right can undergo fission and release energy.
Iron IS the line because it needs energy to do either of these.
All elements want to find stability, and Iron is that Element because it needs energy for either fission or fusion.
So yes, Iron is the dividing line and this is what makes it so stable.
Edit: forgot to link the chart when referencing left or right..
http://www.splung.com/content/sid/5/page/benergy