Chapter 20
Nuclear Physics
Identify the nucleus or sample being described, distinguish detected counts from decays and keep each energy account complete.
Spaced review
Remember this chapter
Save this chapter's 10 recall cards. We'll bring each one back just before you're likely to forget it, a few minutes a day.
Free account needed, so your cards follow you to any device. Notes and quick recall stay free without one.
Choose a lesson
Evidence for the nucleus
Separate scattering observations from their inferences, then read nuclide, isotope and ion counts.
Alpha, beta and gamma
Compare emission nature, charge, ionisation, penetration and response to fields under stated conditions.
Random decay and measured counts
Distinguish activity from count rate, interpret fluctuations and use actual durations when correcting background.
Half-life and corrected curves
Infer exponential-shaped trends and use repeated halving with the correct background-corrected quantity.
Exponential decay and data
Relate activity to population and decay constant, then process counts and fit a valid logarithmic model.
Choose radiation for a task
Justify medical and industrial uses through half-life, penetration, ionisation and exposure context.
Balance nuclear processes
Account for nucleon number, charge and mass-energy in decays and a supplied bombardment reaction.
Missing energy and momentum
Use the beta energy spectrum and momentum closure to infer an additional neutral carrier.
Mass defect and binding energy
Keep atomic and nuclear masses consistent and distinguish total binding energy from energy per nucleon.
Energy from fission and fusion
Interpret the binding-energy trend and compare complete initial and final accounts for balanced processes.