Nuclear physics

Nuclear Physics is a branch of physics that studies the constituents and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those in nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging, ion implantation in materials engineering, and radiocarbon dating in geology and archaeology.

History

The field of nuclear physics was born in the early 20th century. In 1896, Henri Becquerel discovered, while working on phosphorescent materials, that these substances emitted a new type of radiation, which was later called radioactivity. This discovery led to the studies of Marie Curie and Pierre Curie, who isolated radium and polonium from uranium ore.

Components of the Nucleus

The atomic nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons, collectively known as nucleons. The number of protons determines the atomic number and the identity of the element, while the number of neutrons determines the isotope of the element.

Nuclear Forces

The forces in the nucleus are a balance between the strong nuclear force, which holds the nucleons together, and the electromagnetic force, which wants to push the protons apart due to their like charges. The strong nuclear force is about 100 times stronger than the electromagnetic force, but it only acts at very short distances.

Nuclear Reactions

Nuclear reactions deal with interactions between the nuclei of atoms. The most notable types of nuclear reactions are: nuclear fission, where a nucleus splits into two or more smaller pieces, and nuclear fusion, where two nuclei merge to form a single, heavier nucleus.

Applications of Nuclear Physics

Nuclear physics has many applications, including in medicine, where it is used in both diagnostic and treatment capacities. In nuclear power plants, nuclear fission of uranium or plutonium is used to generate electricity. Nuclear physics is also used in geology for radiometric dating.

See Also

• Atomic Physics
• Quantum Mechanics
• Particle Physics