Nuclei
Lecture - 01
Nuclear Physics
The tiny central part of the atom where almost entire mass and all +ve
charge lies is called nucleus.
Proton and neutrons, both lies in nucleus.
Protons and neutrons taken together are called nucleons.
Atomic no (Z) → No of protons
Mass no (A) → No of protons + no of neutrons
Representation of nucleus
𝐀 𝐀
𝐙 (𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐲𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐥) 𝐨𝐫 𝐙 𝐗 𝐀 𝐨𝐫 𝐙𝐗
Atomic Mass Unit
It is the unit in which atomic and nuclear masses are measured.
The atomic mass unit is defined as 1/12 of the mass of a carbon-12 atom,
the one containing 6 protons and 6 neutrons in its nucleus.
Relation between one atomic mass unit and MeV
Size of Nucleus
Nuclear density
Mass Defect
The difference between expected mass and actual mass of the nucleus is
called mass defect.
Binding Energy
It is the energy released during the formation of nucleus from its constituent
nucleons.
Or
It is the minimum energy required to break the nucleons into its constituent
particles.
Question:
Arrange the given nucleus in order of stability.
Nucleus BE
𝟒
𝟐𝐇𝐞 28
𝟕
𝟑𝐋𝐢 42
𝟏𝟐
𝟔𝐂 53
𝐁𝐄
Variation of with A
𝐀
For nuclei of middle mass no (30 < A
< 170), BE/A is almost constant max BE/A
is about 8.75 MeV for 26Fe56.
For both light nuclei and heavy
nuclei BE/A is smaller, so these
nuclei are unstable.
Heavier nuclei being unstable have a
tendency to split into medium nuclei.
This is fission
Lighter nuclei fuse into medium A
nuclei. This is fusion.
Question:
BE/A versus A is drawn in figure. A, B, C and D are four nuclei on the
curve. The process that would release energy is
BE/A
C
B
A
A
(A) C → 2D (B) A → C + D
(C) B → C + D (D) A → 2C
Nuclear Stability
𝐍
For light stable nuclei, = 𝟏. No of neutron (N)
𝐙 Stable
The N/Z ratio increases for
N=Z
heavier nuclei and becomes
1.6 for heaviest stable nuclei.
Point for stable nuclei fall in a
well –defined narrow region.
O Z (No of proton)
Note:
Question:
A nucleus 𝐀𝐙𝐗 has mass represented by M(A, Z). If Mp and Mn denote the
mass of proton and neutron respectively and BE the binding energy in
MeV, then [AIPMT (Prelims).2007]
(1) BE = M(A, Z) - ZMp- (A – Z)Mn
(2) BE = [M(A, Z) - ZMp- (A – Z)Mn]c2
(3) BE = [ZMp+ (A , Z)Mn - M(A, Z)]c2
(4) BE = [ZMp+ AMn - M(A, Z)]c2
Question:
Ratio of nuclear radii of 135Cs to 40Ca is
(1) 1.40 (2) 1.50 (3) 2.750 (4) 3.375
Question:
𝟏𝟐𝟓
If radius of the 𝟐𝟕
𝟏𝟑𝐀𝐥 nucleus is taken to be 𝐑 𝐀𝐥 , then the radius of 𝟓𝟑𝐓𝐞
nucleus is nearly
𝟏𝟑 𝟏Τ𝟑 𝟓𝟑 𝟏Τ𝟑
(1) 𝟓𝟑
𝐑 𝐀𝐥 (2)
𝟏𝟑
𝐑 𝐀𝐥
𝟓 𝟑
(3) 𝐑 𝐀𝐥 (4) 𝐑 𝐀𝐥
𝟑 𝟓
Question:
The Binding energy per nucleon of 𝟕𝟑𝐋𝐢 and 𝟒𝟐𝐇𝐞 nuclei are 5.60 MeV and
7.06 MeV, respectively. In the nuclear reaction 𝟕𝟑𝐋𝐢 +𝟏𝟏 𝐇 → 𝟒𝟐 𝐇𝐞 +𝟒𝟐 𝐇𝐞 + 𝐐,
the value of energy Q released is
(1) 19.6 MeV (2) -2.4 MeV (3) 8.4 MeV (4) 17.3 MeV
Question:
The binding energy per nucleon in deuterium and helium nuclei are 1.1
MeV and 7.0 MeV, respectively. When two deuterium nuclei fuse to form
a helium nucleus the energy released in the fusion is
(1) 23. 6 MeV (2) 2.2 MeV (3) 28.0 MeV (4) 30.2 MeV
Nuclei
Lecture - 02
Radioactivity
Radioactivity is the phenomenon of the spontaneous disintegration of
unstable atomic nuclei to form stable atomic nuclei. The element exhibiting
this property is called radioactive element.
Types of radioactive decay
Alpha (𝛂) - decay
It is a radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle
(helium nucleus) and transforms into a different atomic nucleus, with a
mass number reduced by four and an atomic number reduced by two.
Beta decay
1. Beta minus (𝛃− )
In this, an electron (𝐞− ) is emitted from nucleus due to transformation of a
neutron into proton, electron (𝐞− ) and antineutrino (ഥ𝛖).
2. Beta plus (𝛃+ )
In this, positron is emitted from nucleus due to transformation of a proton
into neutron, positron and neutrino (𝛖)
Electron capture (K - capture)
There are few nuclei in which N/Z ratio is very small for stability but 𝜷+
emission is not possible energetically. Such nuclei can capture orbital
electron and a proton in nucleus can combine to form a neutron and a
neutrino particle.
Gamma (𝛄) decay
After 𝛂 - decay or 𝛃 - decay, the daughter nuclei is usually in excited state.
The daughter nucleus reaches to ground state by single or by successive
transition by emitting one or more gamma rays. This is called gamma decay.
Question:
A nucleus with Z = 92 emits the following in a sequence 𝛂, 𝛃− , 𝛃− , 𝛂, 𝛂 , 𝛂 ,
𝛂 , 𝛂 , 𝛃− , 𝛃− , 𝛃+ , 𝛂, 𝛃+ , 𝛂. The Z of the resulting nucleus is
(1) 74 (2) 76 (3) 78 (4) 82
Question:
When 𝟐𝟐𝟖 𝟐𝟏𝟐
𝟗𝟎𝐓h gets converted into 𝟖𝟑𝐁𝐢, then the number of 𝛂 and 𝛃 particles
emitted will respectively be
(1) 𝟒𝛂, 𝟕𝛃 (2) 𝟒𝛂, 𝟏𝛃 (3) 𝟖𝛂, 𝟕𝛃 (4) 𝟒𝛃, 𝟒𝛂
Law of Radioactive Decay
According to law of radioactive decay, the number of nuclei undergoing
the decay per unit time is proportional to the number of active present
nuclei in the sample at that instant.
Half life
It is the time after which the number of active nuclei becomes half of the
initial.
Mean life
It is the total life time of all the atoms of the element divided by total
number of atoms present initially.
Nuclei
Lecture - 03
Activity
It is defined as rate of disintegration of radioactive nuclei.
Simultaneous Decay
Question:
In the radioactive decay of an element it is found that the count rate reduces
from 1024 to 128 in 3 minutes. Its half life will be
(1) 1 minute (2) 2 minute (3) 3 minute (4) 5 minute
Question:
If a radioactive material remains 25% after 16 days, then its half life will be
(1) 32 days (2) 8 days (3) 64 days (4) 28 days
Question:
The half-life of a radioactive substance is 30 minutes. The time (in minutes)
taken between 40% and 85% decay of the same radioactive substance is
(1) 15 (2) 30 (3) 45 (4) 60
Question:
A radio isotope X with a half life 1.4 × 109 years decays to Y which is stable.
A sample of the rock from a cave was found to contain X and Y in the ratio
1 : 7. The age of the rock is
(1) 1.96 × 109 years (2) 3.92 × 109 years
(3) 4.20 × 109 years (4) 8.40 × 109 years
Question:
Find the decay rate of the substance having 4 × 1015 atoms. Half life of a
radioactive substance in a – decay is 1.2 × 107 s
(1) 2.3 × 108 atom/s (2) 3.2 × 108 atom/s
(3) 2.3 × 1011 atom/s (4) 3.2 × 1011 atom/s
Question:
Two radioactive substances A and B have decay constants 5l and l
respectively. At t = 0 they have the same number of nuclei. The ratio of
number of nuclei of A to those of B will be (1/e)2 after a time interval
𝟏 𝟏
(a) (b) (c) 𝟒𝛌 (d) 𝟐𝛌
𝟐𝛌 𝟒𝛌
Question:
Half lives for 𝛂 and 𝛃 emission of a radioactive material are 16 years and
48 years respectively. When material decays giving 𝛂 and 𝛃 emission
𝟑
simultaneously then time in which th of the material decays is
𝟒
(1) 29 years (2) 24 years (3) 64 years (4) 12 years
Question:
Two radioactive samples A and B have half lives T1 and T2 (T1 > T2)
respectively. At t = 0, the activity of B was twice the activity of A. Their
activity will become equal after a time
𝐓 𝐓 𝐓 −𝐓 𝐓 +𝐓 𝐓 𝐓
(1) 𝟏 𝟐 (2) 𝟏 𝟐 (3) 𝟏 𝟐 (4) 𝟏 𝟐
𝐓𝟏 −𝐓𝟐 𝟐 𝟐 𝐓𝟏 +𝐓𝟐
Question:
Two radioactive nuclei P and Q in a given sample decay into a stable
nucleus R. At time t = 0, number of P species are 4N0 and that of Q are N0.
Half-life of P (for conversion to R) is 1 minute whereas that of Q is 2
minutes. Initially there are no nuclei of R present in the sample. When
number of nuclei of P and Q are equal the number of nuclei of R present in
the sample would be
𝟓𝐍 𝟗𝐍
(a) 𝟎 (b) 𝟐𝐍𝟎 (c) 3N (d) 𝟎
𝟐 𝟐
Nuclear reaction
Nuclear fission
Subdivision of a heavy atomic nucleus, such as uranium or plutonium, into
two fragments of roughly equal mass. The process is accompanied by the
release of a large amount of energy.
0 n 92 U 92 U 133
51 Sb 41 Nb 40 n
1 235 236 99 1
𝟏𝟒𝟒
𝟏
𝟎𝐧 +𝟐𝟑𝟓 𝟐𝟑𝟔 𝟖𝟗 𝟏
𝟗𝟐 𝐔 →𝟗𝟐 𝐔 →𝟓𝟔 𝐁𝐚 +𝟑𝟔 𝐊𝐫 + 𝟑𝟎 𝐧
𝟐𝟑𝟓 𝟏𝟑𝟑
𝟏
𝟎 𝐧 +𝟗𝟐 𝐔 →𝟐𝟑𝟔 𝟗𝟗 𝟏
𝟗𝟐 𝐔 →𝟓𝟏 𝐒𝐛 +𝟒𝟏 𝐍𝐛 + 𝟒𝟎 𝐧
Nuclear fusion
Fusion is the process where two light nuclei combine together releasing
vast amounts of energy.
𝟏 𝟏 +
𝟏 𝐇 +𝟏 𝐇 →𝟐𝟏 𝐇 + 𝐞 +𝐯 + 𝟎. 𝟒𝟐 𝐌𝐞𝐯
𝟐
𝟏𝐇 +𝟐𝟏 𝐇 →𝟑𝟐 𝐇𝐞 + 𝐧 + 𝟑. 𝟐𝟕 𝐌𝐞𝐯
𝟐 𝟐
𝟏 𝐇 +𝟏 𝐇 →𝟑𝟏 𝐇 +𝟏𝟏 𝐇 + 𝟒. 𝟎𝟑 𝐌𝐞𝐯
Nuclear Reactor
Note:
Heat produced by nuclear reaction is converted into electricity by the means
of a generator.
The main components of a nuclear reactor are:
Fuel: The fissionable material used in the reaction.
Moderator: To decrease the speed of the fast moving neutrons formed
during the fission.
Control rods: Used to control the reaction or to stop the chain reaction.
Coolant: To absorb the heat produced by fission.
Turbine: The turbine rotates due to the heat. Therefore the heat energy
is converted into mechanical energy in a turbine.
Generator: it converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy.
