1720849966162
1720849966162
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Nuclear Physics
Nucleus
The entire positive charge and nearly the entire mass of atom is
concentrated in a very small space called the nucleus of an atom.
The nucleus consists of protons and neutrons. They are called
nucleons.
Isotopes
The atoms of an element having same atomic number but different
mass numbers are called isotopes. e.g. 1H1 , 1H 2 , 1H3 are isotopes of
hydrogen.
Isobars
The atoms of different elements having same mass numbers but
different atomic numbers are called isobars. e.g. 1H3 , 2He3 and
22 22
11Na , 10Ne are isobars.
Isotones
The atoms of different elements having different atomic numbers and
different mass numbers but having same number of neutrons are
called isotones. e.g. 1H3 , 2He4 and 6C14 , 8O16 are isotones.
Isomers
Atoms having the same mass number and the same atomic number
but different radioactive properties are called isomers.
Nuclear Force
The force acting inside the nucleus or acting between nucleons is
called nuclear force.
Nuclear forces are the strongest forces in nature.
It is a very short range attractive force.
It is non-central and non-conservative force.
It is independent of charge.
It is 100 times that of electrostatic force and 1038 times that of
gravitational force.
According to the Yukawa, the nuclear force acts between the nucleons
due to continuous exchange of meson particles.
Mass Defect
The difference between the sum of masses of all nucleons ( M ) and
mass of the nucleus ( m ) is called mass defect.
Mass defect ( Dm ) = M - m = [Zm p + ( A - Z )mn - mN ]
Mass Energy Relation
Einstein showed that mass is another form of energy and can convert
mass energy into other forms of energy.
Einstein-mass energy, E = mc2
AIM : FREE EDUCATION TO ALL APUL
Packing Fraction ( P )
(Exact nuclear mass) - (Mass number) M - A
P= =
Mass number M
The larger the value of packing friction, greater is the stability of
the nucleus.
10
56Fe 100Mo
16O 32S 127I
184W
12C 197Au 238U
8
4He 18O
14N
6
6Li
3H
2
2H
0
0 50 100 150 200 250
Mass number (A)
Nuclear Reaction
The process by which the identity of a nucleus is changed when it is
bombarded by an energetic particle is called nuclear reaction. Its
general exprossion is
X + a ¾® c
(parent nucleus) (incident particle) (compound nucleus)
¾® Y + b + Q
(product nucleus) (daughter nucleus) (energy)
Q-Value
It means the difference between the rest mass energy of initial
constituents and the rest mass energy of final constituents of a
nuclear reaction.
Nuclear Energy
The energy released during nuclear reaction is nuclear energy. Two
distinct ways of obtaining energy from nucleus are as
(i) Nuclear fission (ii) Nuclear fusion
Nuclear Fission
The process of the splitting of a heavy nucleus into two or more
lighter nuclei is called nuclear fission.
When a slow moving neutron strikes with a uranium nucleus
( 92U 235 ), it splits into 56 Ba141 and 36Kr92 along with three neutrons
and a lot of energy.
235
92U + 0n1 ¾® 56Ba
141
+ 36Kr
92
+ 30 n1 + energy
(i) Fuel Fissionable materials like 92U 235 , 92U 238 , 94Pu239 are
used as fuel.
(ii) Moderator Heavy water, graphite and baryllium oxide are
used to slower down fast moving neutrons.
(iii) Coolant The cold water, liquid oxygen etc are used to remove
heat generated in the fission process.
(iv) Control rods Cadmium or boron rods are good absorber of
neutrons and therefore used to control the fission reaction.
Note Atom bomb’s working is based on uncontrolled chain reaction.
Nuclear Fusion
The process of combining of two lighter nuclei to form one heavy
nucleus is called nuclear fusion.
When three deuteron nuclei (1H 2 ) are fused, 21.6 MeV is energy
released and nucleus of helium ( 2He4 ) is formed.
2
1H + 1H 2 + 1H 2 ¾® 2He4 + 1H1 + 0n1 + 21.6 MeV
In this process, a large amount of energy is released.
Nuclear fusion takes place at very high temperature approximately
about 107 K and at very high pressure 106 atmosphere. Thus, the
energy released during nuclear fusion is known as thermonuclear
energy. Hydrogen bomb is based on nuclear fusion.
The source of sun’s energy is the nuclear fusion taking place in the
interior of sun.
AIM : FREE EDUCATION TO ALL APUL
Radioactivity
The phenomenon of spontaneous emission of radiations by nucleus of
some elements is called radioactivity.
This phenomenon was discovered by Henry Becquerel in 1896.
Radiations Emitted by a Radioactive Element
Three types of radiations emitted by radioactive elements are
(i) a-rays (ii) b-rays (iii) g-rays