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LECTURE 1

Nuclear physics studies the structure and interactions of atomic nuclei, focusing on concepts such as atomic number (Z), neutron number (N), and mass number (A). The discovery of the neutron in 1932 by Chadwick, along with the properties of isotopes and nuclear forces, are key topics in this field. The nuclear radius can be approximated using the formula R = r0A^(1/3), highlighting the quantum mechanics that govern nuclear interactions.

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4 views

LECTURE 1

Nuclear physics studies the structure and interactions of atomic nuclei, focusing on concepts such as atomic number (Z), neutron number (N), and mass number (A). The discovery of the neutron in 1932 by Chadwick, along with the properties of isotopes and nuclear forces, are key topics in this field. The nuclear radius can be approximated using the formula R = r0A^(1/3), highlighting the quantum mechanics that govern nuclear interactions.

Uploaded by

Kamande Kimani
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LECTURE 1

Introduction

1
NUCLEAR PHYSICS
 Nuclear physics is the field of
physics that studies the
building blocks and
interactions of atomic nuclei.

2
A Z  N
Z Atomic _ symbol as Z is the ordering
principle of the periodic
table of the elements, it
AZ  N
Atomic _ symbol is often dropped

4
2 He49Be 126C 01n A and Z conserved in nuclear reactions 3
4
Positrons have same
mass and spin as
electron but positive
charge

e- and e+ are also called beta radiation

5
Discovery of the Neutron
• Rutherford proposed the atomic structure with the massive nucleus in
1911.
• the nucleus was known only in 1932
• Three reasons why electrons cannot exist within the nucleus:
1) Nuclear size
The uncertainty principle puts a lower limit on its kinetic energy that is
much larger that any kinetic energy observed for an electron emitted
from nuclei (its actually the result of β-decay).
2) Nuclear spin
If a deuteron nucleus were to consist of protons and electrons, the
deuteron must contain 2 protons and 1 electron. A nucleus composed of
3 fermions must result in a half-integral spin. But it has been measured
to be 1. So no electrons can possible in the nucleus (but they apparently
come out of certain nuclei)

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Discovery of the Neutron
3) Nuclear magnetic moment:
The magnetic moment of an electron is over 1000 times larger than
that of a proton.
The measured nuclear magnetic moments are on the same order of
magnitude as the proton’s, so an electron cannot be a part of the
nucleus.

• In 1930 the German physicists


Bothe and Becker used a
radioactive polonium source
that emitted α particles. When
these α particles bombarded
beryllium, the radiation
penetrated several centimeters
of lead but was readily absorbed
• by paraffin wax, 4
2 H 49Be 126C 01n 7
Discovery of the Neutron
• In 1932 Chadwick proposed that the new radiation produced by α + Be
consisted of neutrons. His experimental data estimated the neutron’s
mass as somewhere between 1.005 u and 1.008 u, not far from the
modern value of 1.0087 u.

• The electromagnetic radiation (photons) are called gamma rays which


have energies on the order of MeV.

• Curie and Joliot performed several measurements to study penetrating


high-energy gamma rays.

• There are also electrons (and positrons) emerging from atoms, beta rays
(but they are not constituents of the nucleus themselves)

8
Nuclear Properties
• The symbol of an atomic nucleus is .
where Z = atomic number (number of protons)
N = neutron number (number of neutrons)
A = mass number (Z + N)
X = chemical element symbol
• Each nuclear species with a given Z and A is called a nuclide.
• Z characterizes a chemical element.
• The dependence of the chemical properties on N is negligible, certain
physical properties, e.g thermal expansion show measurable differences
due to isotope effects.

• Nuclides with the same neutron number are called isotones and the
same value of A are called isobars.

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Nuclear Properties
• The nuclear charge is +e times the number (Z) of protons.

• Hydrogen’s isotopes:
• Deuterium: Heavy hydrogen. Has a neutron as well as a proton in its nucleus.
• Tritium: Has two neutrons and one proton, is radioactive, about 40 tons on
earth.

• The nuclei of the deuterium and tritium atoms are called deuterons and
tritons.
• Atoms with the same Z, but different mass number A, are called isotopes.

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Sizes and Shapes of Nuclei
• Rutherford concluded that the range of the nuclear force must be less
than about 10−14 m.
• Assume that nuclei are spheres of radius R.
• Particles (electrons, protons, neutrons, and alphas) scatter when
projected close to the nucleus.

• The nuclear force is often called the strong force.

• There is no simple closed form equation for this force, so we don’t have a
simple potential energy function that we could put into the Schrödinger
Equation, but quantum mechanics reigns supreme in the nuclear realm as
well

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Sizes and Shapes of Nuclei
• The nuclear radius may be approximated to be R = r0A1/3
where r0 ≈ 1.2 × 10−15 m.

• We use the femtometer with 1 fm = 10−15 m, or the fermi.

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