Nuclear Physics

Aim: How does Fission and Fusion occur?

Do Now: How can fission and fusion be
helpful? Name two examples.

Subatomic Forces and

Structures
 Gravitational Force Strong “Nuclear” Force

Weak Force Electromagnetic Force

All forces in the world can be attributed to these 4 interactions!

 How would an alien figure out what a car is
made of?
Hit it or break it!
Collide at higher speeds
and see what comes off.

How do we do this with

particles?
 Force Relative Carrier Carrier Force Force
Name Strength symbol Range acts on

Strong Force

Weak Force

Electro-
magnetic
Force

Gravitational
Force

Activity: Using a computer, research and fill in the

Rest of this chart!
 Zooming in on the
World Around Us
Macroscopically
•Gravity
–holds all objects with mass together (from stars to dust)
•Electromagnetic Force
–Holds the (negatively charged) electrons in orbit around the
(positively charged) nucleus of an atom
•Strong Force
– Holds all the positively charged protons and neutral neutrons
together in the nucleus
•Weak Force
–Holds all the quarks together in a proton and neutron
Microscopically
Lets Plot a Course to the Arctic Sea...
 How long underwater?
• Example calculation:
– Assume a cruising speed of 20 knots (23 mph)
– If you measured 3,750 miles, the time underwater
= 3,750/23 = 163 hours
• Most non-nuclear submarines cannot remain
submerged that long!
• With nuclear power, a submarine is limited
only by its food supply.
 Nuclear power is…
• A method of generating electricity
• A means of powering large vessels, such as
submarines and aircraft carriers
• Based on a process involving atomic nuclei:
nuclear fission
Why is Nuclear Power so controversial?
 Fission

A loose neutron…
…collides with
a uranium atom… …destabilizing it.

Fission splits the atom into two new

elements, releasing energy, gamma
rays and additional neutrons.
 Chain reaction
1. A neutron collides
with a uranium
atom.
2. The collision
releases energy, and
three additional
neutrons.
3. Each neutron in turn
collides with
additional uranium
atoms.

If a enough Uranium is present, the

reaction becomes self sustaining. A
Chain Reaction!
Fission

1. How does fission occur in a

Uranium atom?

2. What force is responsible

for holding nuclei together?

3. What fundamental force

pushes an atom apart once
split?
 Making Electricity!
Containment structure

Pressurizer Steam
Generator
Electric
Generator

Control Turbine
Rods

Reactor
Vessel
Labels:
• Condenser
Condenser
• Containment structure
• Control Rods
• Electric Generator
• Pressurizer
• Reactor Vessel
• Steam Generator
• Turbine
 Nuclear reactor safety – explosion?
• Could a nuclear
explosion occur?
- critical mass
The minimum amount of
material needed to sustain an
uncontrolled chain reaction,
and therefore cause a nuclear
explosion.
- purity of U-235
Nuclear fuel in a reactor is
about 5% U-235. For a
weapon, U-235 needs to be
about 90% pure.
- an explosion
cannot occur
The purity of U-235 in
nuclear fuel is too low to
sustain an uncontrolled chain
reaction
 Nuclear reactor safety – waste

• Why is radioactivity - regular operations

As uranium fuel is used, it and
dangerous? its byproducts are highly
radioactive.

- meltdown - cell damage

Overheating of reactor core Radioactivity causes damages
due to loss of cooling ability cell components and causes
or control rod function. mutations.
Radioactive decay

…radioactivity
is halved…

…then again, and…

…again, and…

Over each half-life…

 Types of radioactive decay
Type of Decay Cause Particle Emitted Example
(symbol)
Alpha (α) Excess neutrons cause Helium nucleus Uranium-238 to
repulsion Thorium-234
Beta (β) Excess neutrons cause Electron Hydrogen-3 to
conversion Helium-3
Gamma (γ) Nucleus energy too Photon Cobalt-60 to
high Nickel-60

Write out a beta decay for

Potassium-40 and an alpha
decay for Uranium-238
 Examples
Beta Decay for:

Beta Decay for:

Alpha Decay for:

 Fusion
• Fusion of an atom @ 2: What is the process of
52
fusion?

Why would making a

fusion reactor be
beneficial?

Why is it so hard to make

a fusion reactor?
 Fusion up Close
• For light elements (up to Iron), fusing two elements together
creates a larger element and energy.
• This energy comes from the ‘missing’ mass.
– The larger element has a smaller mass then the total mass of the
parts that make it up.
– The difference in mass is converted into released energy.
• This only happens in the sun and stars
 Creating Nuclear Energy
Mass or energy can never be created or destroyed, only
converted from one to the other!
E  mc 2

Fusion Fission
• Two smaller elements • One larger element
(anything below iron) (anything above Iron)
fuse together to create split apart to create two
a larger element. smaller elements.
• This is favored by • This is favored by
nature because this nature because this
process releases process also releases
 E=mc 2
1. Which particle would generate the greatest amount
of energy if its entire mass were converted into
energy?
– electron
– proton
– alpha particle
– Neutron

2. If a proton was completely turned into energy, how

much energy would be released?
 Mass Defect
• The mass of the individual protons and neutrons that make up an
element is larger than the actual mass of the element.

• This ‘mass defect’ is converted into the energy needed to hold the
nucleus together.
 Mass Defect Activity

The actual mass of the Lithium atom is 6.941 amu

Let one Partner calculate the proton mass and another calculate
the neutron mass. Use E=mc2

- What is the mass defect in amu?

- What is the binding energy in MeV?

- What is the binding energy in Joules?

 Summary Questions
1. How are the nucleus in atoms held together?

2. Describe the difference between Fusion and

Fission. Cite Examples

3. Find the mass defect of a Carbon atom with 6

protons and 6 neutrons and a mass of
12.0107 amu.
Proton: 1.00728 amu