Nuclear Assignment:

2
1/3 3 ( Ze )
1. The radius of a nucleus is R = RoA and its Coulomb energy is . A nucleus zAX
5 4 π ϵo R
decays to its mirror nucleus Az-1Y in its ground state. Derive an expression for the Q value
in terms of A, Ro and universal constants.
2. Compute the binding energy per nucleon for (a) 7Li, (b) 56Fe and (c) 235U using semi
empirical mass formula.
3. Evaluate the neutron separation energy for 7Li.
4. Compute the approximate mass of Carbon, Germanium and Bismuth nuclei.
5. It is energetically possible for a nucleus to decay by both β+ and β- emission. What can
you say about the Mass number A (even, odd) of this nucleus?
6. Using semi empirical mass formula derive an expression for the number of protons Z for
which the isobar with a fixed A is stable (does not beta-decay). Find this Z for A =125.
Neglect the mass difference between neutron and proton.
27
7. 14 Si and 2713Al are mirror nuclei. The former is a positron emitter with E max = 3.48 MeV.
Determine ro.
−3 G M 2
8. A neutron star consists of only neutrons. Gravitational potential energy ( ¿plays
5 r
a major role in giving the star stability by making the binding energy positive. Find the
minimum number of neutrons expected in a neutron star based on properly modified semi
empirical mass formula.
9. Assume a single particle central potential to describe the shell structure of nuclei. An
additional of Vso L · S term gives the correct shell closing. Let Vso = -1MeV/ħ2. Find the
change in the energy of 1f state as the state becomes (a) 1f7/2 (b) 1f 5/2. Do the same
calculation for 1d 5/2 and 1d3/2.
10. What is the magnetic moment of 16O in ground state?
11. Give the expected shell model spin and parity assignments for the ground states of (a)
7Li (b) 15C (c) 31P (d) 141 Pr .
12. The ground state of 203 +
122 Tl has spin–parity ( ½) Give the shell model configuration of this

nucleus that is consistent with the observed states.

13. Find the magnetic dipole moment of 41Ca and 35Cl in their ground states using extreme
single particle shell model.
14. The unpaired neutron in an odd-A nucleus is in the state d 5/ 2. Using extreme single
particle shell model calculate the magnetic moment expected in units of nuclear
magneton gsn = - 3.826 .
15. The 1st two excited states of 178O nucleus are found to have spin parity as (½)+ and ( ½)-.
Write the proton and neutron configurations for each of these states.
16. Estimate the ratios of the major to minor axes of 181 73Ta and 123 51Sb. The quadrupole
moments are +6 × 10−24 cm2 for Ta and −1.2 × 10−24 cm2 for Sb (Take R = 1.2A 1/3 fm
17. Assuming that in a nucleus N = Z = A/2, calculate the Fermi momentum, Fermi energy
EF, and the well depth.
18. A certain odd-parity shell model state can accommodate up to a maximum of 12
nucleons. What are its j and l values?
19. Find the gap between the 1p1/2 and 1d5/2 neutron shells for nuclei with mass number A ≈
16 from the total binding energy of the 15O (111.9556 MeV), 16O (127.6193 MeV) and
17
O (131.7627 MeV) atoms.
20. Compute the expected shell-model quadruple moment of 209 Bi(9/2− )
21. Deduce that with ac = 0.72MeV and as = 23MeV the ratio z min/A is approximately 0.5 for
light nuclei and 0.4 for heavy nuclei.
22. If the binding energies of the mirror nuclei 41 21Sc and 41 20Ca are 343.143V and
350.420MeV respectively, estimate the radii of the two nuclei by using the semi
empirical mass formula [e2/4πε0 = 1.44MeV fm]
23. Investigate using liquid drop model, the β stability of the isobars 127 53 I and 127 54 Xe given
that
127
51 Sb → β− +127 52 Te + 1.60MeV
127 55 Cr → β + +12754 Xe + 1.06MeV
24. The mean free path of fast neutron in lead is about 5 cm. find the total cross-section of
lead (atomic mass ~200 and density 10 g /cm3) 4079
25. It is desired to reduce beam intensity of slow neutron to 5% of original value by placing a
cadmium sheet in front of beam (atomic mass ~112 and density 8.7 x 103 g /cm3). The
absorption cross-section of Cd is 2500 barns. Find the required thickness of Cd? 4080
26. In a scattering experiment an aluminum foil of thickness 10μm is placed in a beam of
intensity 8 × 1012 particles per second. The differential scattering cross-section is known
to be of the form dσ/dΩ = A + B cos2 θ

where A, B are constants, θ is scattering angle and Ω is the solid angle. With a detector of
area 0.01m2 placed at a distance of 6m from the foil, it is found that the mean counting
rate is 50 s−1 when θ is 30o and 40 s−1 when θ is 60o. Find the values of A and B. The mass
number of aluminum is 27 and its density is 2.7g/cm2. P443
27. α-particles and deuterons are accelerated in a cyclotron under identical conditions. The
extracted beam of particles is passed through an absorber. Show that the range of
deuteron will be approximately twice that of α-particles. P386
28. Protons and deuterons are accelerated to the same energy and passed through a thin sheet
of material. Compare their energy losses. P387
29. Determine the average radiative energy loss of electrons of p = 2.7GeV/c crossing one
radiation length of lead.
30. In the radioactive series stemming from 238U, intermediate nuclei have negligible mean
lives on geological time scale, so that 238U may be assumed to decay directly to 206Pb with
a mean life of 6.48 × 109 y. Similarly, 235U decays to 207Pb with a mean life of 1.03 × 109
y. In a certain sample of uranium-bearing rock the proportions of atoms of 238U, 235U,
206
Pb and 207Pb were found to be in the ratio of 1000 : 7.19 : 79.7 : 4.85. The sample had
negligible amount of 208Pb. Estimate the age of the rock.
31. The carbon isotope 14C is produced in nuclear reactions of cosmic rays in the atmosphere.
It is β-unstable. It is found that a gram of carbon extracted from the atmosphere, gives on
average 15.3 such radioactive decays per minute. What is the proportion of 14C isotope in
the carbon? (Mean life of 14C is 8270 years and mass of carbon is 12.00 u.)
32. A total of 16.0 radioactive disintegrations per minute per gram are measured from a
sample of living wood. The counter used for measuring the sample is only 5 % efficient.
A sample of 8 g of carbon taken from archaeological sample of wood register 9 counts
per minute. The background count of 5 per minute is also observed. Calculate the age of
the sample (T1/2 of 14C = 5730 y).
33. Consider the photo disintegration of deuteron, γ + d →p + n. Assuming that the proton
and neutron are emitted with equal energy, see Fig., calculate the angle of emission of
proton.
 34. Find the root mean square separation of neutron and proton in deuteron using the
normalized exponential wave function for the ground state

35. 1 MeV neutrons are scattered on a target. The angular distribution of the neutrons in the
centre-of-mass proves to be isotropic. The total cross-section is measured to be 10−25 cm2.
Using the partial wave representation, calculate the phase shift of the s-wave.

Nuclear Reaction
1. Calculate the energy of protons detected at 90° when 4.0 MeV deuterons are incident on
27
Al to produce 28Al with an energy difference Q = 5.5 MeV.
2. Find the energy of the helium nucleus in the fusion reaction d +p→ 3He+γ +5.3 MeV,
where initially proton and deuteron are essentially at rest.
3. Calculate the threshold energy of the projectiles in a 3H(p, n)3He reaction, given,
Q=−0.74 MeV.
4. Krane book; 11.3,4, 6-10
Fermi Gas Model
1. In the Fermi gas model the internal energy is given by U = 3/5 AEF, where A is the mass
number and EF is the Fermi energy. For a nucleus of volume V with N = Z = A/2. A =
∂U
KVEF3/2 where K is a constant. Using the thermodynamic relation, p = − ( ¿, show that
∂V
2
the pressure is given by P= ρn E F , where ρn is the nucleon density.
5

Liquid Drop Model

2. Determine the most stable isobar with mass number A = 64.
3. The masses (amu) of the mirror nuclei 27 27
13 Al and 14 Si are 26.981539 and 26.986704
respectively. Determine the Coulomb’s coefficient in the SEMF.
4. Compute the binding energy per nucleon for (a) 7Li, (b) 56Fe and (c) 235U using SEMF.
5. Evaluate the neutron separation energy for 7Li.
6. Compute the approximate mass of Carbon, Germanium and Bismuth nuclei.
7. It is energetically possible for a nucleus to decay by both β+ and β- emission. What can
you say about the Mass number A (even, odd) of this nucleus?

Shell Model
8. Consider a nuclear level corresponding to a closed shell plus a single proton in a state
with the angular momentum quantum numbers l and j. Of course j = l ± 1/2. Let gp be the
empirical gyromagnetic ratio of the free proton. Compute the gyromagnetic ratio for the
2s1/2, 1p3/2, level, for each of the two cases j = l + 1/2 and j = l − 1/2.
9. Predict the ground state spins and parities of the following nuclei using the shell model:
3 17 34 41
2 He , 8O, 19 K , 20Ca
 10. Find the gap between the 1p1/2 and 1d5/2 neutron shells for nuclei with mass number A ≈
16 from the total binding energy of the 15O (111.9556 MeV), 16O (127.6193 MeV) and
17
O (131.7627 MeV) atoms.
203 1+ ¿
11. The ground state of 122 Tl has spin–parity . ¿Give the shell model configuration of this
2
nucleus that is consistent with the observed states.
1+ ¿ 1−¿
12. The 1st two excited states of 178O nucleus are found to have spin parity as ¿ and ¿.
2 2
Write the proton and neutron configurations for each of these states.

13. Show that the spherical Hankel function for l=1 is solution of

2
1 d 2 dRl 2 m l(l+1 )ℏ
2 dr
(r )+ 2 [ E− ] Rl=0
r dr ℏ 2 mr 2
14. What are the parities and what are the upper and lower limits for the angular momenta
predicted for the ground states of 6Li, 14N, 28Al, 40K and 60Co?
15. The ground state of the nucleus 165 Ho67 has an electric quadrupole moment Q = 3.5b. If this is

2
due the fact that the nucleus is a deformed ellipsoid, use the equation Q= 5 Ze(a2-b2) to
estimate the sizes of its semi-major and semi-minor axes.

Krane Book:
Chapter 3:: 1, 7—13, 17, 21
Chapter 5:: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8,13
1. Das and Ferbel:3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.7
2. Henley and Garcia: 16.2, 6,10-12, 20 21and 18.10, 11, 15, 22