nuclear physics

Question 1

Inverse-Square Law for 𝜸 radiation

Answer 1

Question 2

Experimental verification of Inverse-Square Law for Gamma Radiation - apparatus and method

Answer 2

Question 3

The Nature of Radioactive Decay

Answer 3

Question 4

modelling radioactive decay

Answer 4

The rate at which the nuclei of a radioactive sample will decay is measured by its activity (𝐴).
Activity is measured in decays per second (or hour or day).
𝑁 = number of unstable nuclei in a sample.
The activity of a sample is measured in Becquerels (𝐵𝑞) where 1 Bequerel is equal to 1 decay/second.
The decay constant 𝝀 is defined as the fraction of the total number of nuclei present in a sample of radioactive material that decays per second.

Question 5

Calculating N with the mass of a sample and the molar mass

Answer 5

Question 6

Radioactive decay curve represented as a straight line

Answer 6

Question 7

Mass Defect

Answer 7

Question 8

Einstein’s Equation

Answer 8

Question 9

Binding Energy

Answer 9

Question 10

calculate Binding Energy of helium if mass defect is 0.0293 u

Answer 10

Question 11

graph of average binding energy per nucleon against nucleon number

Answer 11

Question 12

Nuclear Fission

Answer 12

Question 13

Nuclear Fission Reactor - conditions needed for controlled reaction

Answer 13

Question 14

Nuclear Fission Reactor components and their roles - fuel rods, coolant. control rods, moderator

Answer 14

Question 15

Nuclear Fission Reactor - Moderation by Elastic Collisions

Answer 15

Question 16

Nuclear Fission Reactor
Safety and Shielding

Answer 16

Question 17

Nuclear Fission Reactor - Environmental Effects of Nuclear Waste

Answer 17

Question 18

Nuclear Fission Reactor
Benefits and Risks

Answer 18

Question 19

Nuclear Fusion - what is it and consider it with binding energy

Answer 19

Question 20

Nuclear Fission/Fusion and Binding Energy

Answer 20

Question 21

Rutherford’s Scattering Experiment

Answer 21

Question 22

particles used in scattering to find the structure of things - Alpha Scattering

Answer 22

Alpha Scattering: Rutherford used alpha particles with energies around 4 MeV, any higher and it would be close enough to the nucleus to experience the strong nuclear force.

Question 23

particles used in scattering to find the structure of things - Electron Scattering

Answer 23

Electron Scattering: Electrons are accelerated to high energies of around 6GeV. They have enough energy to be scattered within protons and neutrons; discovering quarks. Electrons travelling at this speed have a de Broglie wavelength 1000 times smaller than visible light meaning we can see more detail.

Question 24

particles used in scattering to find the structure of things - X-ray Scattering

Answer 24

X-ray Scattering: X-ray photons have short wavelengths and can be scattered or completely absorbed by atomic electrons. If the electron is tightly bound or the photon has very little energy the electron remains in the atom and the photon loses no energy. This is known as elastic or coherent scattering. If the photon has enough energy it knocks the electron out of orbit (ionisation) and does lose energy.

Question 25

particles used in scattering to find the structure of things - Neutron Scattering

Answer 25

**Neutron Scattering:** Very useful because they are not charged but this limits the energies they can be accelerated to. Neutrons interact weakly with other nuclei and do not interact with electrons at all, because of this they can penetrate further. Their wavelengths are similar to that of atomic spacing, meaning that diffraction will occur.

Question 26

Electron Diffraction

Answer 26

Question 27

Nuclear Radius equation

Answer 27

R= R0 * A^(1/3)

Question 28

N against Z Graph

Answer 28

Question 29

types of decay and affect on position on nz graph

Answer 29