1. IB Physics 12
Mr. Jean
January 15th, 2014

2. The plan:
Nuclear Physics
Alpha
Beta
Gamma

3. To sum it up:
The strong nuclear force is enormously stronger than the electromagnetic force.
The strong nuclear force has a much smaller effective range than does the electromagnetic force.
Neutrons are required in the mix of protons for the strong force to work properly.

4. Composition of Matter
All of matter is composed of at least three fundamental particles (approximations):
Particle
Fig.
Sym
Mass
Charge
Size
Electron e x kg -1.6 x C 
Proton p x kg x C 3 fm
Neutron n x kg fm
The mass of the proton and neutron are close, but they are about 1840 times the mass of an electron.

5. Atomic mass unit: 1 u = 1.6606 x 10-27 kg
One atomic mass unit (1 u) is equal to one-twelfth of the mass of the most abundant form of the carbon atom--carbon-12.
Atomic mass unit: 1 u = x kg
Common atomic masses:
Proton: u
Neutron: u
Electron: u
Hydrogen: u

6. Stability Curve
Nuclear particles are held together by a nuclear strong force.
Atomic number Z
Neutron number N
Stable nuclei
Z = N 20 40 60 80
100
140
120
A stable nucleus remains forever, but as the ratio of N/Z gets larger, the atoms decay.
Elements with Z > 82 are all unstable.

7. Radioactivity
As the heavier atoms become more unstable, particles and photons are emitted from the nucleus and it is said to be radioactive. All elements with A > 82 are radioactive. a b- b+ g
Examples are:
Alpha particles a
b- particles (electrons)
Gamma rays g
b+ particles (positrons)

8. Types of Radioactivity:
There are three major types of radiation that the nuclear physicist is concerned with: alpha, beta, and gamma.
Alpha radiation consists of particles, alpha particles. The alpha particles are actually helium nuclei.
Beta radiation is also made up of particles – electrons.
Gamma radiation is made up of very short wavelength electromagnetic waves. The reason for the odd names is a simple one.
The types of radiation were discovered before the particles were. So Ernest Rutherford discovered alpha particles before anyone knew anything about helium nuclei.

9. Parent nucleus Cm-244. The daughter isotope is Pu-240
Alpha Decay
Parent nucleus Cm The daughter isotope is Pu-240
96Cm244
94Pu240

10. The Alpha Particle
An alpha particle a is the nucleus of a helium atom consisting of two protons and two neutrons tightly bound.
Charge = +2e- = 3.2 x C
Mass = u
Relatively low speeds ( 0.1c )
Not very penetrating

11. Why alpha particle instead of other light nuclei
Energy Q associated with the emission of various particles from a 235U nucleus.

12. There are always two questions that can be asked about any decay in atomic, nuclear or particle physics: (i) How much kinetic energy was released? and (ii) How quickly did it happen? (i.e. Energy? and Time?). Lets look at energy and then we will deal with time at the end for all types of decays.

13. The Energy of the α-particle, Tα
Mass of X Q
Mass of Y
+  particle
And the energy released in the decay is simply given by energy

14. X is parent atom and Y is daughter atom
Radioactive Decay
As discussed, when the ratio of N/Z gets very large, the nucleus becomes unstable and often particles and/or photons are emitted.
Alpha decay results in the loss of two protons and two neutrons from the nucleus.
X is parent atom and Y is daughter atom
The energy is carried away primarily by the K.E. of the alpha particle.

15. Radium-226 decays into radon-222.
Example: Write the reaction that occurs when radium-226 decays by alpha emission.
From tables, we find Z and A for nuclides. The daughter atom: Z = 86, A = 222
Radium-226 decays into radon-222.

16. The Beta-minus Particle
A beta-minus particle b- is simply an electron that has been expelled from the nucleus.
Charge = e- = -1.6 x C -
Mass = u -
High speeds (near c) -
Very penetrating -

17. Beta decay Positive: The Positron
A beta positive particle b+ is essentially an electron with positive charge. The mass and speeds are similar.
Charge = +e- = 1.6 x C +
Mass = u +
High speeds (near c) +
Very penetrating +

18. X is parent atom and Y is daughter atom
Beta-minus Decay
Beta-minus b- decay results when a neutron decays into a proton and an electron. Thus, the Z-number increases by one.
X is parent atom and Y is daughter atom
The energy is carried away primarily by the K.E. of the electron. -

19. X is parent atom and Y is daughter atom
Beta-plus Decay
Beta-plus b+ decay results when a proton decays into a neutron and a positron. Thus, the Z-number decreases by one.
X is parent atom and Y is daughter atom
The energy is carried away primarily by the K.E. of the positron. +

20. The Gamma Photon
A gamma ray g has very high electromagnetic radiation carrying energy away from the nucleus.
Charge = Zero (0) g
Mass = zero (0) g
Speed = c (3 x 108 m/s) g
Most penetrating radiation g

21. Gamma and Beta decays are similar
A Family of Four Force Carriers
β decay
γ decay N
Unlike α decay, β and γ decays are closely related (e.g. like cousins).
They often occur together as in the typical decay scheme (i.e. 198Au)
They just involved changes in nucleon states (p n, n p, p p)
They involve the same basic force (γ, W± ) carrier but in different state
But β decays are generally much slower (~100,000) than γ decays (produced by EM force) because the Ws are heavy particles (which makes force weaker)

22. Gamma and Beta decays are very similar
Decay Name of process Interaction Out Channel
Nucleon + Zero Leptons
Gamma Decay EM
Internal Conversion EM
Nucleon + One Lepton
Electron Capture
weak
Pair Internal Conversion EM
Nucleon + Two Leptons
β+ Decay
weak
weak
β- Decay

23. Feynman Diagrams - Similarity
OUT CHANNEL One nucleon + 2 leptons
TIME p n p p’ p n
BETA MINUS DECAY
BETA PLUS DECAY
PAIR INTERNAL CONVERSION
All these decay types are similar in structure
They all have a 4 point vertex
They all have 3 particles in the final state
The fact that the Q of the decay is shared between 3 particles means that the outgoing observed particle [ie. electron or positron] has a spectrum of energies in the range (0 to Q).

24. Feynman Diagrams - Similarity
OUT CHANNEL One nucleon + 1 lepton
TIME n p’ p’ p p p 
GAMMA DECAY
INTERNAL CONVERSION
ELECTRON CAPTURE
[Mono-energetic photons ]
[Mono-energetic electrons ]
[Mono-energetic neutrinos]
All these decays have only two particles in their output state.
The Q of the decay is shared between only 2 particles
Conservation of Energy: The emitted particle (γ , e-, νe) is monoenergetic.

25. Quark level Feynman Diagrams - Similarity
TIME
d u u
d u d
d u u
d u d
d u u
d u u
BETA MINUS DECAY
BETA PLUS DECAY
PAIR INTERNAL CONVERSION
The proton is made of 3 quarks – uud (up, up, down)
The neutron is made also of 3 quarks - udd (up, down, down)
We see the very close similarity of pattern between reactions through W and γ particles NOTE: only vertices of 3 particles are now seen (makes sense)

26. Quark level Feynman Diagrams - Similarity
TIME
d u d
d u u
d u u
d u u
d u u
d u u 
GAMMA DECAY
INTERNAL CONVERSION
ELECTRON CAPTURE
Again we see that there are ONLY 3 PARTICLE – VERTICES
We see the similarity of the decays are propogated through the intermedicate “Force” particles (W and γ).
Remember in INTERNAL CONV. And ELECTRON CAPTURE the electron comes from the core electron orbitals of THE ATOM.

27. Radioactive Materials
The rate of decay for radioactive substances is expressed in terms of the activity R, given by:
Activity
N = Number of undecayed nuclei
One becquerel (Bq) is an activity equal to one disintegration per second (1 s-1).
One curie (Ci) is the activity of a radioactive material that decays at the rate of 3.7 x 1010 Bq or 3.7 x 1010 disintegrations per second.

28. The Half-Life
The half-life T1/2 of an isotope is the time in which one-half of its unstable nuclei will decay. No
Number of Half-lives
Number Undecayed Nuclei 1 4 3 2
Where n is number of half-lives

29. Example: Radium-226 has a half-life of 1620 years.
This is shown in the graph below. One kg of radium-226 begins the thing. After one half-life (1620years) only half of the sample remains – the other half has decayed into some other element.
After two half-lives only one fourth would remain and so on.

31. Half-Life (Cont.)
The same reasoning will apply to activity R or to amount of material. In general, the following three equations can be applied to radioactivity:
Nuclei Remaining
Activity R
Mass Remaining
Number of Half-lives:

32. First we determine the number of half-lives:
Example 6: A sample of iodine-131 has an initial activity of 5 mCi. The half-life of I-131 is 8 days. What is the activity of the sample 32 days later?
First we determine the number of half-lives:
n = 4 half-lives
R = mCi
There would also be 1/16 remaining of the mass and 1/16 of the number of nuclei.