Modern Physics: Lecture 8

Introduction to Nuclear Physics

Dr. Ahmed Said Eltrass
Electrical Engineering Department
Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
Fall 2015
Office hours: Sunday (10:00 to 12:00 )
4th floor, Electrical Engineering Building

Review of Decay processes

Alpha Decay:
A
Z

Y energy

A 4
Z 2

4
2

Beta-minus Decay:
A
Z

Y energy

A
Z 1

0
1

Beta-plus Decay:
A
Z

Y energy

A
Z 1

0
1

Review: Conservation Laws

Conservation of Charge: The total charge of a
system can neither be increased nor decreased.
Conservation of Nucleons: The total number of
nucleons in a reaction must be unchanged.

Conservation of Mass Energy: The total massenergy of a system must not change in a
nuclear reaction.

Kinetic Energy of particles

A
Z

Y Q

A 4
Z 2

4
2

Q is the energy released in the decay process

(called the disintegration energy).
The kinetic energy K.E. of the emitted particle is
related to Q and the mass number A of the original
nucleus

A4
K .E.
Q
A

The kinetic energy of the new nucleus is given by

4
K .E. Q
A

Rate of decay
dN/dt = -l*N
where
l is the decay constant
N is the number of nuclei present in a sample of
radioactive nuclide at a certain time ( number of
undecayed nuclei)
The minus sign comes from the fact that dN/dt is
DECREASING rather than growing.

dN/dt = -l*N
We can solve this differential equation for N(t):
dN/N = -l dt , or ln (N) = -l t + ln (No)
ln (N/No) = -l t , or N(t) = No e-lt
The rate of decay for radioactive substances can be
expressed in terms of the activity A:
A = lN = lNoe-lt = Aoe-lt

A = Aoe-lt
This means that the activity decreases exponentially
with time also

Half Life
N(t) = No e-lt
The number of radioactive atoms decreases with
time.

The measure of the time it takes for half of the

radioactive nuclei in a sample to decay into
another element is called a half-life.
N(T=half life) = No/2 = Noe-lT , or 1/2 = e-lT
or -lT = ln(1/2) = ln(1) ln(2) = 0 - ln(2), or

T(half life) = ln(2) / l

Half Life
After two half lives, is the number now down to
zero?
NO. After a second half life, we only have half as
much as we did after the first half life:
N(t = 0) = No
N(t = 1 half life) = No

N(t = 2 half lives) = ( No) = ()2 No

N(t = n half lives) = ()n No

 After one half life there is 1/2 of original sample left.

After two half-lives, there will be 1/2 of the 1/2 = 1/4
the original sample.

A=Aoe-lt

Graph of Amount of Remaining Nuclei vs Time

Review:

N(t) = No e-lt
A = lN = Aoe-lt

T(half life) = ln(2) / l

We can find T (half life) if we can wait for N (or A)
to decrease by half.
We can find l by measuring N and A.
If the half life is large, l is small. This means that
if the radioactive isotope will last a long time
(half life is large) , its activity will be small;
if the half life is small, the activity will be large
but only for a short time!

 Table N provides us
with a list of various
nuclides, their decay
modes, and their halflifes.
Using Table N, what is
the decay mode and
half-life for Radium226?
Radium-226 undergoes
alpha decay.

Radium

Radon

Using Half-life
Table N also tells us that Radium-226 has a
half-life of 1600 years.
Starting with a
100g sample, after
1 half-life (or 1600
years), 50g remain.
After another
1600 years, half of
the 50g will remain
(25g).

Example 1:
A 10 gram of sample of Iodine-131 undergoes
decay, what will be the mass of iodine remaining
after 24 days?
From Table N, the life of iodine is determined
to be approximately 8 days.

That means that 24 days is equivalent to 3 half-lifes.

The decay of 10 grams of I-131 would produce:

1.25 grams of I-131 would remain after 24 days.

Example 2:
The percent of C-14 is found to be 25% of what the original
C-14 concentration was. What is the age of the sample?
First, lets analyze how many half-lives have taken place.

Two half-lives have gone by while the sample decayed from

the original C-14 concentration to 25% of that concentration.
Based on Table N, the half-life of C-14 is 5730 years, so

The age of the sample= 2* 5730= 11460 years

Nuclear Reactions
It is possible to alter the structure of a nucleus
by bombarding it with small particles. Such
events are called nuclear reactions:

x+XY+y

General Reaction:

For example, if an alpha particle bombards

a nitrogen-14 nucleus it produces a
hydrogen atom and oxygen-17:
4
2

N H O
14
7

1
1

17
8

Example 3: Use conservation criteria to determine

the unknown element in the following nuclear
reaction and to calculate the energy released :
1
1

H Li He X energy
7
3

4
2

A
Z

Charge before = +1 + 3 = +4
Charge after = +2 + Z = +4
Z=42=2
(Helium has Z = 2)
Nucleons before = 1 + 7 = 8
Nucleons after = 4 + A = 8 (Thus, A = 4)
1
1

H 37 Li 42 He 42 He Q

Q is the energy released in the reaction.

The energy released or absorbed is called the Qvalue and can be found if the atomic masses are
known before and after.
1
1

H 37 Li 42 He 42 He Q

Q 11 H 37 Li 42 He 42 He
1
1

H 1.007825 u

7
3

Li 7.016003 u

4
2

He 4.002603 u

4
2

He 4.002603 u

Substitution of these masses gives:

Q = 0.018622 u*(931.5 MeV/u)

Q =17.3 MeV

Types of Nuclear Reactions

1- Nuclear Fission
The heaviest nuclei are less stable than the nuclei near
A=60. This suggests that energy can be released if heavy
nuclei split into smaller nuclei having masses nearer
A=60.
The process of splitting a nucleus into smaller nuclei- is
called nuclear fission.

There are 2 types of fission that exist:

1. Spontaneous Fission
Heavy nuclei are highly unstable and decay
spontaneously by splitting into 2 smaller nuclei.
Such spontaneous decays are accompanied by the
release of neutrons.

2. Induced Fission
Nuclear fission can be induced by bombarding
atoms with neutrons.
The nuclei of the atoms then split into 2 equal parts
Induced fission decays are also accompanied by the
release of neutrons.

What nuclei can split during nuclear

fission?
Only large nuclei like U or
plutonium can split apart
during nuclear fission.
U-236 is so unstable that
when U-236 is bombarded
with a neutron it
immediately splits into
barium & krypton nuclei,
several neutrons & a large
amount of energy.

Example:

235

U
n
+
92
0

141

92

Ba
Kr
n
3
+
+
56
36
0

A neutron travels at high speed towards a

uranium-235 nucleus.

1
0n

235
92 U

A neutron travels at high speed towards a

uranium-235 nucleus.

1
0n

235
92 U

A neutron travels at high speed towards a

uranium-235 nucleus.

1
0n

235
92 U

The neutron strikes the nucleus which then

captures the neutron.

1
0n

235
92 U

The nucleus changes from being uranium-235 to

uranium-236 as it has captured a neutron.

236
92 U

 The uranium-236 nucleus formed is very unstable.

It transforms into an elongated shape for a short
time.

 The uranium-236 nucleus formed is very unstable.

It transforms into an elongated shape for a short
time.

 The uranium-236 nucleus formed is very unstable.

It transforms into an elongated shape for a short
time.

It then splits into 2 fission fragments and releases

neutrons.
1
0n
141
56Ba
1
0n
92
36 Kr
1
0n

It then splits into 2 fission fragments and releases

neutrons.
1
0n
141
56Ba

1
0n

92
36 Kr
1
0n

It then splits into 2 fission fragments and releases

neutrons.
1
0n
141
56Ba

1
0n

92
36 Kr
1
0n

What is a chain reaction?

Free neutrons produced by fission can hit
other nuclei emitting more neutrons
repeating the reaction over and over.
A series of fission reactions is called a chain

reaction.

An uncontrolled chain reaction releases a

huge amount of energy in a short time &
requires a critical mass of starting material
to produce more reactions.

Fission
produces
a chain
reaction

Energy from Fission

Both the fission fragments and neutrons travel at
high speed.
The kinetic energy of the products of fission are
far greater than that of the bombarding neutron
and target atom.

EK before fission << EK after fission

Energy is being released as a result of the fission
reaction.

235
92

U +0n

138

96

Cs + 37Rb+ 20n

55

Element
Atomic Mass (kg)
235 U
-25
3.9014
x
10
92
138 Cs
-25
2.2895
x
10
55
96 Rb
-25
1.5925
x
10
37
1 n
1.6750 x 10-27
0
The total mass before fission (LHS of the equation):
3.9014 x 10-25 + 1.6750 x 10-27 = 3.91815 x 10-25 kg

The total mass after fission (RHS of the equation):

2.2895 x 10-25 + 1.5925 x 10-25 + (2 x 1.6750 x 10-27)
= 3.9155 x 10-25 kg

total mass before fission > total mass after fission

mass difference m = 3.91815 x 10-25 3.91550 x 10-25

= 2.65 x 10-28 kg

This reduction in mass results in the release of energy.

E = mc2 =2.65 x 10-28 x (3 x 108)2

E = 2.385 x 10-11 J
The energy released from this fission reaction
does not seem a lot because it is produced from
the fission of a single nucleus.

 Large amounts of energy are released when a

large number of nuclei undergo fission reactions.
Energy per fission , E = 2.385 x 10-11 J
Each uranium-235 atom has a mass of 3.9014 x 10-25 kg.
No. of atoms in 1 kg of uranium-235 = 2.56 x 1024 atoms

The amount of energy released by 1 kg of

uranium-235 can be calculated as follows:
Total energy = energy per fission x number of atoms
Total energy = 2.385 x 10-11 x 2.56 x 1024
Total energy = 6.1056 x 1013 J

Types of Nuclear Reactions

2- Nuclear Fusion
In a nuclear fusion reaction, two small, light
nuclei combine to form one larger, heavier nucleus.
Fusion

Fission
Process of splitting
a nucleus into
smaller nuclei

Both
Reactions
produce
energy

2 small, light
nuclei combine to
form one larger,
heavier nucleus

Example of Fusion Process:

H
H
+
1
1

Energy
He
n
+
+
2
0

The Fusion Process

2
1H

3
1H

The Fusion Process

2
1H

3
1H

The Fusion Process

2
1H

3
1H

The Fusion Process

2
1H
3
1H

The Fusion Process

The Fusion Process

The Fusion Process

The Fusion Process

The Fusion Process

1
0n
4
2 He

The Fusion Process

1
0n
4
2 He

The Fusion Process

1
0n

4
2 He

The Fusion Process

1
0n

4
2 He

Energy from Fusion

2

H
H
+
1
1
Element
2 H
1
3 H
1
4 He
2
1 n
0

Energy
He
n
+
+
2
0
Atomic Mass (kg)
3.345 x 10-27
5.008 x 10-27
6.647 x 10-27
1.6750 x 10-27

The total mass before fusion (LHS of the equation):

3.345 x 10-27 + 5.008 x 10-27 = 8.353 x 10-27 kg

The total mass after fusion (RHS of the equation):

6.647 x 10-27 + 1.675 x 10-27 = 8.322 x 10-27 kg

m = total mass before fusion total mass after fusion

m = 8.353 x 10-27 8.322 x 10-27

m = 3.1 x 10-29 kg
E = mc2
E = 3.1 x 10-29 x (3 x 108)2

E = 2.79 x 10-12 J

The energy released per fusion is 2.79 x 10-12 J.

The End

Good Luck in Final Exams

See You Next
Semester ISA in
Electronics Course