Dr / Alpha 0115798056

 basics of nuclear physics

 Some Definitions :

What's the atom ?

- It's the smallest part in the

matter which forms the
chemical element .

Every atom consists of 2 parts :

1) Nucleus ( + ve , inner and heavy part ) .
2) Electron ( - ve , outer and light part ) .

i. Nucleus : is the central massive and positively

charged part of an atom which consists of protons
( + ve charge ) and neutrons ( no charge ) .

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ii. Proton : positively charged , lying in the nucleus .

- The total number of protons is equal to the total

number of electrons so the atom is electronically
neutral

2 ) Electron : negatively charged which revolve around

the nucleus .

 There is anti-particle of electron which has the

same mass of electron but different in charge called
positron

- Positron is positive charge particle .

- Positrons are formed during decay of nuclides that

have an excess of protons in their nucleus compared
to the number of neutrons .

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Particle Symbol Mass (kg) Mass Charge (c)

(amu)
Proton +P 1.675 × 10- 27 1.007276 - 1.6 × 10- 19

Positron e+, β+ 9.11 × 10- 31 0.0005486 + 1.6 × 10- 19

Electron e, e- , β- 9.11 × 10- 31 0.0005486 - 1.6 × 10- 19

Neutron n 1.673 × 10- 27 1.008665 0

q=z×e

 for example : 11 Li so q = 3 × 1.6 × 10- 19

 General Representation of an atom :

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 Atomic Mass number ( A ) : Total number of

Protons + neutrons in an atom .

(A=Z+N)

 Atomic number ( Z ) : the number of protons In a

nucleus of an atom .

(Z=A-N)

● Each element has a characteristic atomic number

● The number of electrons equals the atomic number

in a neutral atom ( no . of protons = no. of electrons)

● Number of neutrons ( N ) = Atomic Mass number –

atomic number.
(N=A–Z)

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 Nucleon : the number of protons and neutrons

especially in the atomic nucleus

Ex :
1 16
1H = 1 nucleon 8O = 16 nucleons
4
2 He = 4 nucleons

 Nuclide : characterized by some nuclear species

with a certain atomic number and with a certain
number of neutrons .

 Isotopes : nuclides that have the same number of

protons ( Z ) but have different number of neutrons
(N).

Ex :
1 2 3 14 15 16
1 H, 1 H, 1H 8O , 8O , 8O

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 Isotones : nuclides that have the same number of

neutrons ( N ) but have different number of protons (Z)
Ex :
16 15 14
8O , 7N , 6C

 Isobar : nuclides that have the same number of

mass number .

Ex :
14 14
6C , 7C

 The periodic table is divided into two

categories based on the number of

neutrons :

1 ) The nucleus of light elements ( Z < 82 ) which has

approximately equal number of protons and neutrons

(P=N).

Ex :
1 16
1H , 8O

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2 ) Nucleus of heavy elements ( Z > 82 ) which has

number of neutrons greater than the number of protons
(P<N)

Ex :
238 226
92 U , 88 Ra

 What's the Radioactivity ?

It's the spontaneous emission and uncontrollable

disintegration from unstable nuclei of heavy atoms

 There are 3 types of radiation that emission

from unstable nuclei :

1 ) Alpha . α , 4
2 He

2 ) Beta . β , e-

3 ) gamaa radiation ( EMW ). ϒ–ray.

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 General form for radioactivity :

A
ZX  A-4 YZ-2 + α + Qα
A
ZX  A Y Z +1 + β + Qβ
A
ZX  A YZ +ϒ + Qϒ–ray

 Types of Radioactivity :

1 ) neutral radioactivity .

2 ) artificial radioactivity .

 Units of radioactivity :

- Curie ( ci ) = 3.7 × 1010 decay / second

- Rutherford unit = 106 decay / second

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- SI unit Becquerel = 1 decay / second

𝟏 th
 Atomic mass unit ( amu ) : it's defined as 𝟏𝟐
12
of the mass of neutral and stable C 6 atom
𝟏 - 24 - 27
amu = 𝟐𝟑 = 1.66 × 10 g = 1.66 × 10 Kg
𝟔.𝟎𝟐𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎

Mass of carbon (mc) = 𝟔.𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝟏𝟐

× 𝟏𝟎 𝟐𝟑 = 19.92 × 10 - 27 Kg

𝟏 𝟏
= 1.66054× 10 -27
𝟏𝟐
amu =
𝟏𝟐
× mc =
𝟏𝟐
× 𝟔.𝟎𝟐𝟑 × 𝟏𝟎 𝟐𝟑
kg

1 U = 1.6605 × 10 – 27
kg

Mp = 1.672623 × 10 – 27
kg

Mn = 1.674929 × 10 – 27
kg

Me = 9.10939 × 10 – 27
kg

 1 ev = 1.6 × 10 – 19 J

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 There are 4 forces in the nature :

1) Gravitational force .
2) Coulomb force .
3) Light Nuclear force .
4) Heavy Nuclear force .

 Nuclear force : is attractive force which not

depend on the type of charge and nuclon .

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