This book presents the foundations of nuclear physics, covering several themes that range from subatomic particles to stars. Also described in this book are experimental facts relating to the discovery of the electron, positron, proton, neutron and neutrino. The general properties of nuclei and the various nuclear de-excitation processes based on the nucleon layer model are studied in greater depth. This book addresses the conservation laws of angular momentum and parity, the multipolar transition probabilities E and M, gamma de-excitation, internal conversion and nucleon emission de-excitation processes. The fundamental properties of α and β disintegrations, electron capture, radioactive filiations, and Bateman equations are also examined. Nuclear Physics 1 is intended for high school physics teachers, students, research teachers and science historians specializing in nuclear physics.
Author(s): Ibrahima Sakho
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Year: 2022
Cover
Half-Title Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Preface
Chapter 1. Overview of the Nucleus
1.1. Discovery of the electron
1.1.1. Hittorf and Crookes experiments
1.1.2. Perrin and Thomson experiments
1.1.3. Millikan experiment
1.2. The birth of the nucleus
1.2.1. Perrin and Thomson atomic model
1.2.2. Geiger and Marsden experiment
1.2.3. Rutherford scattering: Planetary atomic model
1.2.4. Rutherford’s differential effective cross-section
1.3. Composition of the nucleus
1.3.1. Discovery of the proton
1.3.2. Discovery of the neutron
1.3.3. Internal structure of nucleons: u and d quarks
1.3.4. Isospin
1.3.5. Nuclear spin
1.3.6. Nuclear magnetic moment
1.4. Nucleus dimensions
1.4.1. Nuclear radius
1.4.2. Nuclear density, skin thickness
1.5. Nomenclature of nuclides
1.5.1. Isotopes, isobars, isotones
1.5.2. Mirror nuclei, Magic nuclei
1.6. Nucleus stability
1.6.1. Atomic mass unit
1.6.2. Segrè diagram, nuclear energy surface
1.6.3. Mass defect, binding energy
1.6.4. Binding energy per nucleon, Aston curve
1.6.5. Separation energy of a nucleon
1.6.6. Nuclear forces
1.7. Exercises
1.8. Solutions to exercises
Chapter 2. Nuclear Deexcitations
2.1. Nuclear shell model
2.1.1. Overview of nuclear models
2.1.2. Individual state of a nucleon
2.1.3. Form of the harmonic potential
2.1.4. Shell structure derived from a harmonic potential
2.1.5. Shell structure derived from a Woods–Saxon potential
2.2. Angular momentum and parity
2.2.1. Angular momentum and parity of ground state
2.2.2. Angular momentum and parity of an excited state
2.3. Gamma deexcitation
2.3.1. Definition, deexcitation energy
2.3.2. Angular momentum and multipole order of γ-radiation
2.3.3. Classification of γ-transitions, parity of γ-radiation
2.3.4. γ-transition probabi lities, Weisskopf estimates
2.3.5. Conserving angular momentum and parity
2.4. Internal conversion
2.4.1. Definition
2.4.2. Internal conversion coefficients
2.4.3. Partial conversion coefficients
2.4.4. K-shell conversion
2.5. Deexcitation by nucleon emission
2.5.1. Definition
2.5.2. Energy balance
2.5.3. Bound levels and virtual levels
2.5.4. Study of an example of delayed-neutron emission
2.6. Bethe–Weizsäcker semi-empirical mass formula
2.6.1. Presentation of the liquid-drop model
2.6.2. Bethe–Weizsäcker formula, binding energy
2.6.3. Volume energy, surface energy
2.6.4. Coulomb energy
2.6.5. Asymmetry energy, pairing energy
2.6.6. Principle of semi-empirical evaluation of coefficients in Bethe–Weizsäcker form
2.6.7. Isobar binding energy, the most stable isobar
2.7. Mass parabola equation for odd A
2.7.1. Expression
2.7.2. Determining the nuclear charge of the most stable isobar from the decay energy
2.7.3. Mass parabola equation for even A
2.8. Nuclear potential barrier
2.8.1. Definition, model of the rectangular potential well
2.8.2. Modifying the model of the rectangular potential well
2.9. Exercises
2.10. Solutions to exercises
Chapter 3. Alpha Radioactivity
3.1. Experimental facts
3.1.1. Becquerel’s observations, radioactivity
3.1.2. Discovery of α radioactivity and β− radioactivity
3.1.3. Discovery of the positron
3.1.4. Discovery of the neutrino, Cowan and Reines experiment
3.1.5. Highlighting α, β and γ radiation
3.2. Radioactive decay
3.2.1. Rutherford and Soddy’s empirical law
3.2.2. Radioactive half-life
3.2.3. Average lifetime of a radioactive nucleus
3.2.4. Activity of a radioactive source
3.3. α radioactivity
3.3.1. Balanced equation
3.3.2. Mass defect (loss of matter), decay energy
3.3.3. Decay energy diagram
3.3.4. Fine structure of α lines
3.3.5. Geiger–Nuttall law
3.3.6. Quantum model of α emission by tunnel effect
3.3.7. Estimating the radioactive half-life, Gamow factor
3.4. Exercises
3.5. Solutions to exercises
Chapter 4. Beta Radioactivity, Radioactive Family Tree
4.1. Beta radioactivity
4.1.1. Experiment of Frédéric and Irène Joliot-Curie: discovery of artificial radioactivity
4.1.2. Balanced equation, β decay energy
4.1.3. Continuous β emission spectrum
4.1.4. Sargent diagram, β transition selection rules
4.1.5. Decay energy diagram
4.1.6. Condition of β + emission
4.1.7. Decay by electron capture
4.1.8. Double β decay, branching ratio
4.1.9. Atomic deexcitation, Auger effect
4.2. Radioactive family trees
4.2.1. Definition
4.2.2. Simple two-body family tree
4.2.3. Multi-body family tree, Bateman equations
4.2.4. Secular equilibrium
4.3. Radionuclide production by nuclear bombardment
4.3.1. General aspects
4.3.2. Production rate of a radionuclide
4.3.3. Production yield of a radionuclide
4.4. Natural radioactive series
4.4.1. Presentation
4.4.2. Thorium (4n) family
4.4.3. Neptunium (4n + 1) family
4.4.4. Uranium-235 (4n +2) family
4.4.5. Uranium-238 (4n + 3) family
4.5. Exercises
4.6. Solutions to exercises
Appendices
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
References
Index
EULA
