LECTURE 1

SFG 4093 – NUCLEAR PHYSICS

“Proton give an atom identity,
electron its personality”

-unknown-
 Inside the Atomic Nucleus

PROTON - 938.27 MeV/c2 NEUTRON - 939.56 MeV/c2

 Inside the Atomic Nucleus

e- Nucleus

p+
 Inside the Atomic Nucleus

e- Nucleus

p+ - Hold by Strong Nuclear Force

- 99% mass of atom come from nucleus
 Inside the Atomic Nucleus

e- Nucleus

p+ - Hold by Strong Nuclear Force

- 99% mass of atom come from nucleus
 Proton and Neutrons
In fact, protons and neutrons are so similar, they can be classified as the same object;
The Nucleon
Nucleons are (of course) quantum mechanical objects:

• They are spin 1/2 Fermions

• Radius: r ~ 1 × 10-15 m, or 1 fm (fermi)
• Charge:
• p → +e One of the best ways to determine the size of a
• n→0 nucleus is to scatter high-energy electrons from it.
The angular distribution of the scattered electrons
• Mass: depends on the proton distribution. The proton
• p → 938.27 MeV/c2 distribution can be characterized by an average
• n → 939.56 MeV/c2 radius.
The prefix used for the SI units
For small measurements
Factor Prefix Symbol
10-1 Deci D
10 -2
centi C
10 -3
Milli m
10-6 Micro µ
10-9 Nano n
10-12 Pico p
10 -15
femto/fermi f
10 -18
atto a
10-21 zepto z
10-24 yoeto y
Nuclear Notation

𝐴
𝑍 𝑋
 Nuclear Notation

Mass Number
𝐴
Atomic Number 𝑍 𝑋
 Nuclear Notation
Nuclear Mass/
No. of nucleons
Mass Number
𝐴
Atomic Number 𝑍 𝑋
No. of Proton, p+
 Nuclear Notation
Nuclear Mass/
No. of nucleons
Mass Number
𝐴
Atomic Number 𝑍 𝑋
No. of Proton, p+

We know that nucleon contains neutron and proton

 Nuclear Notation
Nuclear Mass/
No. of nucleons
Mass Number
𝐴
Atomic Number 𝑍 𝑋
No. of Proton, p+

We know that nucleon contains neutron and proton

A=N+Z
 Nuclear Notation
Nuclear Mass/
No. of nucleons
Mass Number
𝐴 To get the no of neutron:

Atomic Number 𝑍 𝑋
No. of Proton, p+

We know that nucleon contains neutron and proton

A=N+Z
 Nuclear Notation
Nuclear Mass/
No. of nucleons
Mass Number
𝐴 To get the no of neutron:

Atomic Number 𝑍 𝑋 N=A-Z

No. of Proton, p+ How about no of electron?

We know that nucleon contains neutron and proton

A=N+Z
What is the different between nucleus and nucleon?
 What is the different between nucleus and nucleon?

Nucleus is the positively charged centre of an atom consisting of 'protons' and 'neutrons'.
 What is the different between nucleus and nucleon?

Nucleus is the positively charged centre of an atom consisting of 'protons' and 'neutrons'.

Nucleons are the protons and neutrons present in the nucleus.

When we discuss about properties without reference to proton or neutrons
 What is the different between nucleus and nucleon?

Nucleus is the positively charged centre of an atom consisting of 'protons' and 'neutrons'.

Nucleons are the protons and neutrons present in the nucleus.

When we discuss about properties without reference to proton or neutrons

Nuclei?
 Carbon

Nucleon
- Proton
12
6 𝐶 Neutron
Electron
Mass
 Carbon

Nucleon 12
- Proton 6
12
6 𝐶 Neutron
Electron
6
6
Mass 12
Example
What is the notation for a nucleus with Z = 30 and N = 32
(ie. 30 protons and 32 neutrons)?
Example
What is the notation for a nucleus with Z = 30 and N = 32
(ie. 30 protons and 32 neutrons)?

What is the chemical symbol for an element with Z = 30?

Example
What is the notation for a nucleus with Z = 30 and N = 32
(ie. 30 protons and 32 neutrons)?

What is the chemical symbol for an element with Z = 30?

❑
30 𝑍𝑛
Example
What is the notation for a nucleus with Z = 30 and N = 32
(ie. 30 protons and 32 neutrons)?

Now include the number of neutrons

62
30 𝑍𝑛
Example
What is the notation for a nucleus with Z = 30 and N = 32
(ie. 30 protons and 32 neutrons)?

And finally, into more standard notation:

So, we end with the mass-62 zinc nucleus.

62
❑ 𝑍𝑛 As most nuclear physicists are a bit cavalier with
the term “mass”, so let’s briefly clarify what we
mean.
 Nuclear Mass
• Nuclear Mass are really small ~ 10 -27 kg

• Invent new unit of mass

• Atomic mass unit (a.m.u)
12
• Unified mass unit (u)
6 𝐶 12.01 u
• Define new mass unit as

1u = 1.660 540 X 10-27 kg

 2
𝐸=𝑚 𝑐
 Nuclear Mass
• Nuclear Mass are really small ~ 10 -27 kg

• Invent new unit of mass

• Atomic mass unit (a.m.u)
12
• Unified mass unit (u)
6 𝐶 12.01 u
• Define new mass unit as

1u = 1.660 540 X 10-27 kg

 2
𝐸=𝑚 𝑐
 2
𝐸=𝑚 𝑐
 2
𝐸=𝑚 𝑐
− 27 8 2
¿ (1.660 540 × 10 𝑘𝑔)( 2.998 ×10 𝑚/ 𝑠)
 2
𝐸=𝑚 𝑐
− 27 8 2
¿ (1.660 540 × 10 𝑘𝑔)( 2.998 ×10 𝑚/ 𝑠)
− 10
¿ 1.492 ×10 𝐽
 2
𝐸=𝑚 𝑐
− 27 8 2
¿ (1.660 540 × 10 𝑘𝑔)( 2.998 ×10 𝑚/ 𝑠)
− 10
¿ 1.492 ×10 𝐽

=
 2
𝐸=𝑚 𝑐
− 27 8 2
¿ (1.660 540 × 10 𝑘𝑔)( 2.998 ×10 𝑚/ 𝑠)
− 10
¿ 1.492 ×10 𝐽
MeV
 2
𝐸=𝑚 𝑐
− 27 8 2
¿ (1.660 540 × 10 𝑘𝑔)( 2.998 ×10 𝑚/ 𝑠)
− 10
¿ 1.492 ×10 𝐽
𝐸
MeV 𝑚= 2
𝑐

1u = MeV/c2
𝑚𝑝 =1.007276 𝑢
𝑚𝑒 =0.000549 𝑢
𝑚𝑛 =1.008665 𝑢

Relative Atomic Mass –

the average weighted
mass for the isotopes
 Isotopes
35
❑ 𝐶𝑙

Same chemical properties, same no of proton, Z, different no of neutron, N

 Isotopes
35 37
❑ 𝐶𝑙 ❑ 𝐶𝑙

Same chemical properties, same no of proton, Z, different no of neutron, N

 Isotopes
35 37
❑ 𝐶𝑙 ❑ 𝐶𝑙
Z = 17

Same chemical properties, same no of proton, Z, different no of neutron, N

 Isotopes
35 37
❑ 𝐶𝑙 ❑ 𝐶𝑙
N = 18 N = 20

Z = 17

Same chemical properties, same no of proton, Z, different no of neutron, N

 Isotopes
35 37
❑ 𝐶𝑙 ❑ 𝐶𝑙 Cl isotopes stable
against
radioactive decay
N = 18 N = 20

Z = 17

Same chemical element, same no. of proton, Z, different no. of neutron, N. So A will be different
 protons neutrons electrons
1 0 1 Hydrogen
1 1 1 Deuterium (1 in 6000)
1 2 1 Tritium (1 in 1017)
92 143 92 U-235 (0.72%)
92 146 92 U-238 (99.27%)

More than 3000 isotopes have been identified. About 400 are considered stable.
Isotone:
Nuclei with the same number of neutrons (N), but a different number of protons (Z) and a different mass
(A)

Isobar:
Nuclei with the same number of nucleons (mass? not really...) (A), but a different number of protons (Z)
and neutrons (N)
 Deuteron
The deuteron – 1 proton bound to 1 neutron – the simplest compound nucleus

2
1 𝐻
Issue:
• How are the neutron and proton bound together to form a deuteron?
• The deuteron nuclear mass = 2.013533 u (from experiment)
• The deuterium atomic mass = 2.014102 u (from experiment)
• The difference = 0.000549 u, the mass of an electron
• In what follows, the electron binding E (13.6 eV for deuterium) is systematically neglected
because the nuclear binding E is about one million times greater
The mass of the parts is more than the whole?

1 proton + 1 neutron Deuterium nucleus

2.015 941 u (from experiment)
2.013 553 u
The mass of the parts is more than the whole?

1 proton + 1 neutron Deuterium nucleus

2.015 941 u (from experiment)
2.013 553 u
mp = 1.007 276 u
mn = 1.008665 u
2.015 941 u
The mass of the parts is more than the whole?
Deuterium nucleus
(from experiment)
1 proton + 1 neutron
2.013 553 u
2.015 941 u
The mass of a This implies that
The “lost” mass is
nucleus is NOT converted to a
equal to the sum “nucleon B.E” equal to
of the masses of
Define binding Energy B
its parts 2
of the nucleons ∆ 𝐸=𝐵=∆𝑚 𝑐
 Binding Energy Calculation

2
1. Add electron to each side. 𝑚𝑑 +𝑚𝑒=𝑚𝑛 +𝑚𝑝 + 𝑚𝑒 − 𝐵/ 𝑐
 Binding Energy Calculation

2
1. Add electron to each side. 𝑚𝑑 +𝑚𝑒=𝑚𝑛 +𝑚𝑝 + 𝑚𝑒 − 𝐵/ 𝑐

2. (md+me)  atomic deuterium mass M(2H)

(mp+me)  atomic hydrogen mass, M(1H)
 Binding Energy Calculation

2
1. Add electron to each side. 𝑚𝑑 +𝑚𝑒=𝑚𝑛 +𝑚𝑝 + 𝑚𝑒 − 𝐵/ 𝑐

2. (md+me)  atomic deuterium mass M(2H)

(mp+me)  atomic hydrogen mass, M(1H)

𝑀 ( ❑ 𝐻 ) =𝑚𝑛 + 𝑀 ( ❑𝐻 )− 𝐵/𝑐
2 1 2
 Binding Energy Calculation

2
1. Add electron to each side. 𝑚𝑑 +𝑚𝑒=𝑚𝑛 +𝑚𝑝 + 𝑚𝑒 − 𝐵/ 𝑐

2. (md+me)  atomic deuterium mass M(2H)

(mp+me)  atomic hydrogen mass, M(1H)

𝑀 ( ❑ 𝐻 ) =𝑚𝑛 + 𝑀 ( ❑𝐻 )− 𝐵/𝑐
2 1 2

3. When we convert nuclear masses to atomic masses, we neglect the binding E

of the electron. Why?
4. Electron binding E appear on both side of the equation and they tend to cancel almost all nuclear-mass
calculations. For this reason we use atomic masses (easy to measure) rather than nuclear masses.

mn = 1.008665 u
= 1.007825 u
= 2.014102 u

=0.002388 u

5. Convert u to energy using 1 u = 931.5 MeV/c2

𝐵 913.5 𝑀𝑒𝑉 /𝑐 2 2
2
=0.002388 𝑢 × =2.22 𝑀𝑒𝑉 / 𝑐
𝑐 1𝑢
The deuteron potential well
 V(r)
The deuteron potential well

-2MeV

r = separation (distance) between

proton and neutron

R = diameter of the deuteron

𝑉 (𝑟 )=
{
−∧𝑉 𝑜 , 𝑟 < 𝑅
¿ 0,𝑟 >𝑅

-35MeV
 V(r)
The deuteron potential well

r = separation (distance) between

-2MeV
proton and neutron

R = diameter of the deuteron

In 3-d, All the nucleons are packed into

a sphere of radius R

-35MeV
ro = constant for all nuclei
Binding energy of the deuteron is 2.2 MeV. If the neutron in the deuteron were to decay to form a proton,
electron and antineutrino, the combined mass energies of these particles would be 2(938.27 MeV) + 0.511
MeV = 1877.05 MeV.

But the mass of the deuteron is 1875.6 MeV !!

As we have discussed previously, the average binding energy per nucleon is about 7 8 MeV for typical nuclei.
The binding energy of the deuteron, B = 2.224 MeV, is away too small when compared with typical nuclei. This
means that the deuteron is very weakly bound.

The existence of quadruple moment indicates that the deuteron is not truly spherical. So the bound state
cannot be said to be a pure S-state but should be considered to have a small admixture of D-state component
The mixing of S and D states is possible only if the nucleon-nucleon potential has a tensor component. Since
the deuteron has even parity, the mixing of odd-I states is not possible. The nuclear force being a strong
interaction, conserves parity. Here we want to explore more about this result and study the properties of the
deuteron.