Nuclear Physics
The Nucleus: Back to Rutherford Rutherford
the nucleus Atomic number Atomic mass Notation A X Z e.g. 55 Fe 26 A=55, Z=26, N=29
All Stable Nuclei are composed of a. protons and electrons. b. protons and neutrons. c. neutrons and electrons. d. only protons. e. only neutrons.
Isotopes and Isobars Isotopes – different number of neutrons –Carbon comes in types –Carbon-12 (Z=6,A=12,N=6) –Carbon-14 (Z=6, A=14, N=8) Isobars – different elements, same A –e.g. Carbon-14 (Z=6,A=14,N=8) (radioactive) Nitrogen-14 (Z=7,A=14,N=7) (stable) Oxygen-14 (Z=8,A=14,N=6) (radioactive)
Nuclear Binding
Strong Force (Quantum Chromodynamics)
Units of mass Mass –kg –MeV/c 2 Using E=mc 2 –Amu (or u) 1/12 m( 12 C) includes electron 1u= MeV/c 2 = x kg
Binding Energy E=mc 2 m atom H
The charge on the neutron is a. the same as the charge of the proton. b. zero. c. half the proton charge. d. proportional to the square of the nuclear radius. e. twice the proton charge.
the curve of binding energy
Binding energy is negative (but written as a positive quantity) most stable
Fission Fig 45-2a, p.1482
The chain reaction Fig 45-3, p.1483
Chain reaction chainreaction
Fig 45-4, p.1484
Devastation
controlling it Fig 45-6, p.1486
Fig 45-5, p.1485
Fig 45-CO, p.1479
Fig 45-14, p.1494 Fusion and power
Squeeze it Fig 45-10a, p.1491 Princeton Plasma Physics Lab
Fig 45-11, p.1492 ITER
blow it up Fig 45-12, p.1493 National Ignition Facility (NIF) Livermore
Why neutrons spacers and glue Nuclear binding
Valley of stability
15. How does the rest energy of a nucleus compare to the sum of the rest energies of the individual nucleons when apart from the nucleus? a. It is greater than the sum. b. It is less than the sum. c. It is equal to the sum. d. It is in the ratio of 1:1.25. e. It is in the ratio of 1:1.1.