PHYSICS: Xll NUCLEI

NUCLEI Board’s Buddy : 2023-24

SECTION: A (CONCEPTUAL QUESTIONS)

1) What will be the ratio of the radii of two nuclei of mass number A1 and A2 ?

2) What is the ratio of the nuclear densities of two nuclei having mass number in the ratio 1: 4?
3) What does exactly make heavy nuclei unstable?
4) Why is the number of neutrons in heavier nuclei more than the number of protons?
5) Why are the density of a nucleus much more than that of the atoms?

6) The value of one unified atomic mass unit is 1.66 1027 kg . Calculate the mass of one atom of 12
C in kilogram.

7) What holds nucleons together in a nucleus?

8) Why is the mass of a nucleus always less than the sum of the masses of its constituents, neutrons and protons?
9) Define mass defect of a nucleus. How is it related to the binding energy of the nucleus?

   
10) The binding energy of deuteron 12 H and   particle 24 He are 1.25 and 7.2 MeV per nucleon. Which nucleus is more
stable?
11) Why is it said that nuclear forces are saturated forces?
12) What do you mean by the charge independent character of nuclear forces?
13) Is free neutron a stable particle? If not, what is its mode of decay?
14) Why should nuclear fission precede a nuclear fusion?
15) A fusion reaction in more energetic than a fission reaction. Comment.
16) You are given two nuclides 37 X and 43Y
a) Are they the isotopes of the same element? Why?
b) Which one of the two is likely to be more stable? Give reason.

SECTION: B (Important questions, Numerical)

17) Obtain approximately the ratio of the nuclear radii of the gold 197 107
79 Au isotope and the silver isotope 47 Ag
1
18) From the relation R  Ro A 3 where R o is a constant and A is the number of a nucleus, show that the nuclear matter
density is nearly constant (i.e. independent of A)
19) Calculate the binding energy of an alpha particle in MeV. Given
Mass of proton = 1.0007828u Mass of hydrogen = 1.008665u Mass of He nucleus = 4.002800u
2
1u  931MeV c
20) Obtain the binding energy (in MeV) of a nitrogen nucleus  N  givenm  N   14.00307u
14
7
14
7

21) A given coin has a mass of 3.0g. Calculate the nuclear energy that would be required to separate all the neutrons and
63
protons from each other. For simplicity assume that the coin is entirely made of 29 Cu atoms of mass 62.9260 u.
56 28
22) Suppose we think of fission of a 26 Fe nucleus into two equal fragments 13 Al . Is the fission energetically possible?
Argue by working out Q of process. Given m  56
  55.93494u and m   27.98191u
26 Fe
28
13 Al

23) The fission properties of 239 235

94 Pu are very similar to those of 92U . the average energy released per fission is 180MeV.

How much energy, in MeV, is released if all the atoms in 1kg of pure 239
94 Pu undergo fission?

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PHYSICS: Xll NUCLEI

SECTION: C
24) Define the nuclear force? Write any two characteristics properties of nuclear force.
64 64 27
25) What is the radius of the nucleus of 29 Cu ? Also find the ratio of nuclear radius of 29 Cu and 13Al

26) The nuclear radius of a nucleus with nucleon number 16 is 3 10 15 m . Then, find the nuclear radius of a nucleus with
nucleon number 128?
20 21 22
27) The three stable isotopes of neon: 10 Ne, 10 Ne and 10 Ne have respective abundances of 90.51%, 0.27% and 9.22% . The
atomic masses of the three isotopes are 19.99u, 20.99u and 21.99u, respectively. Obtain the average atomic mass of
neon.
28) When four hydrogen nuclei combine to form a helium nucleus estimate the amount of energy in MeV released in this
process of fission (Neglect the masses of electrons and neutrons)
Given: (i) Mass of 11 H  1.007825u (ii) Mass of helium nucleus  4.002603u, 1u  931MeV c 2
29) In the nuclear reaction n 235
92 U 
a
54 U 94b Sr  2n Determine the value of a and b.

30) How does the size of a nucleus depend on its mass number? Hence explain why the density of nuclear matter should be
independent of the size of the nucleus.
31) Distinguish between nuclear fission and fusion.
32) Calculate the energy release in MeV in deuterium-tritium fusion reaction. 12 H  13H  24He  n Using the data
 
m 12 H  2.014102u  
m 13 H  3.016049u  
m 24 He  4.002603u mn  1.008665u 1u  931.5MeV

33) Classify the following six nuclides into

a) Isotones b) Isotopes c) Isobars
12 3 198 3 197 14
6 C, 2 He, 80 Hg, 1H , 79 Au, 6 C,

34) A neutron is absorbed by a 36 Li nucleus with the subsequent emission of an alpha particle. Calculate the energy
released, in MeV, in this reaction.
Given : mass 36Li  6.015126 u; mass neutron  1.0086654 u; mass (alpha particle  40026044 u)
And mass trition  3.0100000 u. Take1u  931MeV c  2

35) In a typical nuclear reaction, e.g, 12H 12H 23He  n  3.27MeV although number of nucleons is conserved, yet energy
is released. How? Explain.
36) Assume that a neutron breaks into a proton and an electron. Find the energy required during this process?
Mass of neutron  1.672510 27
kg, mass of proton  1.67251027 kg, mass of electron  9 1031 kg 
235
37) 92U absorbs a slow neutron (thermal neutron) and undergo a fission represented by

92U
235
 0 n1 92 U 236 56 Ba14136 Kr 92 30 n1  E
Calculate: (i) The energy released E per fission (ii) the energy released when 1g of 92U 235 undergoes complete fission.

92U
235
 235.1175amu (atom), 56 Ba
141
 140.9577amu (atom),

36 Kr
92
 91.9264amu (atom), 0n
1
 1.00868 amu, 1 amu  931MeV c 2

38) When two nuclei ( A  10) fuse together to form a heavier nucleus, the
a) Binding energy per nucleon increases b) Binding energy per nucleon decreases
c) Binding energy per nucleon does not change d) total binding energy decreases
39) If both the number of protons and neutrons in a nuclear reaction is conserved. In what way is mass converted into
energy (or vice versa)? Explain with one example.

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PHYSICS: Xll NUCLEI

40) Draw a graph showing the variation of binding energy per nucleon with mass number of different nuclei. Write any two
salient features of the curve.
41) Two salient features of the curve
a) The binding energy per nucleon, Ebn is practically constant, i.e. practically independent of the atomic number for
nuclei of middle mass number (30 < A > 170). The curve has a maximum value of about 8.75MeV for A = 56 and
has a value of 7.6MeV for A = 238.
b) Ebn is lower for both light nuclei (A < 30) and heavy nuclei (A > 170).

SECTION: D
42) The ratio of the nuclear densities of two nuclei having mass numbers 64 and 125 is
64 4 5
a) b) c) d) 1
125 5 4
43) The difference in mass of 7 X nucleus and total mass of its constituent nucleons is 21.00u. The binding energy per
nucleon for this nucleus is equal to the energy equivalent of
a) 3u b) 3.5u c) 7u d) 21u
44) Which of the following statements is not true for nuclear forces?
a) They are stronger than Coulomb forces.
b) They have about the same magnitude for different pairs of nucleons.
c) They are always attractive.
d) They saturate as the separation between two nucleons increases.
45) Draw a plot showing the variation of potential energy of two nucleons as a function of distances between them. Identify
the nucleons is (i) attractive, and (ii) repulsive. Justify your answers.
46) A heavy nucleus P of mass number 240 and binding energy 7.6MeV per nucleon splits into two nuclei Q and R of mass
number 110 and 130 and binding energy per nucleon 8.5MeV and 8.4MeV respectively. Calculate the energy released
in the fission.
47) Which one of the following statements about nuclear forces is not true?
a) The nuclear force between two nucleon falls rapidly to zero as their distance is more than a few femtometres.
b) The nuclear force is much weaker than the Coulomb force.
c) The force is attractive for distances larger than 0.8fm and repulsive if they are separated by distance’ less than
0.8fm.
d) The nuclear force between neutron-neutron, proton- neutron and proton-proton is approximately the same.
27 64
48) The nuclear radius of 13 Al is 3.6 Fermi. Find the nuclear radius of 29 Cu .
49) Show that density of nucleus is independent of its mass number A.
50) Explain the processes of nuclear fission and nuclear fusion by using the plot of binding energy per nucleon versus the
mass number A.
51) Write three characteristic properties of nuclear force.
52) Differentiate between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.
53) Deuterium undergoes fusion as per the reaction: 12 H 12H 23He01n  3.27MeV Find the duration for which an electric
bulb of 500W can be kept glowing by the fusion of 100g of deuterium.
54) Calculate for how many years the fusion of 2.0kg deuterium will keep 800W electric lamp glowing. Take the fusion
reaction as: 12 H 12H 23He01n  3.27MeV

55) A nucleus with mass number A =240 and B.E. /A = 7.6MeV breaks into two fragments each of A = 120 with B.E. /A =
8.5MeV. Calculate the released energy.

56) Show that 238

92 U cannot spontaneously emit a proton. Given:
238
92U  238.05079u, 91Pa  237.05121u, 1H
237 1
 1.00783u

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