Chapter # 21 Nuclear physics

Q1- What are isotopes? What do they have common and what are their
differences?

Ans The nuclei of an element which have same atomic number (z) but
various mass number (A), are called isotopes.

Example: Hydrogen has three isotopes.

Podium: Z=1 A=1 N=A-Z=0

Deuterium: Z=1 A=2 N=A-Z=1

Tritium: Z=1 A=3 N=A-Z=2

Hence from above relation.

Similarities: The have same no of protons and electrons due to which

they have same chemical properties.

Differences: They have different no of neutrons thus various physical

properties.

Q1- Heavy nuclei having atomic number greater than 82 (Z>82) are unstable.

Explanation: There are two reasons for their un-stability.

1- The value of binding energy per nucleon is small for heavy nucleus. The
nucleons are not tightly bounded with each and so they emit radiations and
are un-stable.

2- Due to large no of protons nuclear force cannot balance the repulsive

coulomb force which comes into play due to increase size.

Q3- If a nucleus has half0life of 1 year does this means that it will be deayed
completely after 2 years? Explain.

Ans The time taken for atoms to decay to half of its original number is
called as half life. If No= original no of atoms of sample then

No of n-decayed atoms after n-half lives = []

1
2
2
No = []
1
4 No
This shows that nucleus having half life of 1 years than after 2- years one
fourth of the atoms of original element will be left.

Q4- What fraction of a radioactive sample decays after 2 half lives have
elapsed?

Ans 3/4 of radioactive sample decays after 2 half lives.

Example: If Original no of atoms = No of atoms un-decayed after n-half lives

[ ]
1n
2 No So. No of atoms remains =
1
2 No un decayed after 1-half life.

[ ]
2
1
And after 2 half lives s= 2 No

No
No of decayed atoms = No - 4 = 3/4 No

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Q5- The radioactive element 88 Ra has a half life of 1.6 x 10 3 years.

Since the earth is about 5 billion years old. How can you explain element in
nature?

Ans According to radioactive decay law, N= Noe-t

This equation shows an infinite time (t) is required for an element to decay
completely. So it is a random process that lasts up to infinity until the last
atom of the elements is present (less and less but always present) And some
other elements are also concerting to it by the process of radioactive decay.
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Due to these reasons 88 Ra is still present in nature after 5 billion years.

Q6- Describe a brief account of interaction of various types of radiations with

matter.
Ans (1) When -particles interact with matter they produce ionization due
to its collision due to electrostatic attraction.

(2) When -particles interact with matter produce feeble ionization and
their power of ionization is 100 times less than that of -particles'.

(3) R-rays have no charge and cause very little ionization and have high
penetration power than and particles.

(4) Neutron are extremely penetrating and can knock out protons from
the atoms.

Q7- Explain how and -particles may ionize an atom without directly
hitting the electrons? What is the difference in the action of the two
particles for producing ionization?

Ans As and particles are electrically charge they can cause ionization
without hitting an atom either by attracting or repelling the electrons of the
target atom An -particle may ionize an atom by electro-static attraction and
-particles by electrostatic repulsion.

Difference: -attract the electrons while -particle repels the electrons of an

atom.

Q8- A particle which produces more ionization is less penetrating why?

Ans A particle which produces more ionization is less penetrating because it

strongly interacts with the matter and loses its energy in a short distance
and thus it has small range in the medium and can not penetrate through
large distance.

Q9- What information is revealed by the length and shape of the tracks of an
indecent particle in Wilson cloud chamber?
Ans - particles leave thick, straight and continuous tracks due to intense
ionization produced by them which show that incident particle is massive
and more ionizing.

- Particles for thin and dis-continuous tracks in erratic manner which show
that they have smaller mass and less ionizing power.

R-rays leave no definite tracks and has greater length which shows that
incident particle has very small ionizing. Power but greater penetrating
power.

Q10- Why must a Geiger Muller tube for detecting particles have a very thin
end window? Why does a Geiger Muller tube for detecting r-rays not need a
window at all?

Ans The penetrating power of -particles is greater than that of -particles,

a thin window allows their entry to GM tube due to greater mass of -
particles, they possess small penetrating power so a very thin window is used
in Gm tube for the penetration of -particles. And penetrating power of r-rays
is much larger so there is no need to kept window.

Q11- Describe the principle of operation of a solid state detector of

ionization radiation in terms of generating and detecting charge carriers.

Ans A solid state detector is specially designed p-n junction, operating under
a reversed bias the electron hole pairs are produced by the incident radiation
of energy of 3eV to 4eV. This causes a current pulse to flow through the
external circuit. Solid state detectors are smaller in size than any other
detector and can flow count very fast (10-9s).

Q12- What do you mean by term critical mass?

Ans The mass of uranium in which one neutron, of all the neutron produced
in a fission is called critical mass. The volume of this mass of uranium is
called critical volume.

Q13- Discuss the advantages of nuclear poewer compare to the use of fossil
fuel generated power?

NUCLEAR POWER REACTOR.

Advantages Disadvantages
1- This fuel has small cost. 1- Its working efficiency is low.
2- No environmental pollution. 2- Nuclear waste is very dangerous for
living things.
3- Nuclear waste can be recued. 3- It has radiation hazards.
4- Much more energy is produced. 4- It waste is strongly radioactive and
difficult to handle.
FOSSIL FUEL POWER REACTOR

Advantages Disadvantages
1- Its working efficiency is large. 1- The fuel used carries huge cost.
2- It has no radiation hazards. 2- The cost of electricity is high.
3- Its fuel is easily available. 3- Waste products can not be used.
4- Its waste product is not dangerous 4- It produced smoke that cause
and can easily dump. pollution.

Q14- What factors make a fusion reaction difficult to achieve ?

Ans A large amount of energy is required two bring two positively charged
nuclei closer together against the electrostatics repulsive forces between
them. For this purpose nuclei are move towards each other with very high
velocity. This can be done by increasing their temperature up to 10 million
degree Celsius at which nuclei get sufficient thermal K.E to over come
electrostatic repulsion. But such high temperature is difficult to achieve.

Q15- Discuss the advantages and dis-advantages of fission power from the
point of safety, pollution and resources.

Ans Safety Problems: (1) The problem of storing radioactive wastes.

(2) Low level release of radioactive materials into air and ground water.

(3) The risk of an accidental release of large amounts of radioactivity.

Environmental pollution: Fission power produces no pollution while burning

of coal, oil etc produce pollution.

Resources: |Fissionable material is not easily available. Natural uranium

contains only 0.7 % 235U which is fissionable.

Q16- What do you understand by "background radiations" State two sources

of this radiation.

Ans Radiation detector count some radiations even no source of radiation is

present near it, is called background radiation.

Sources: (1) Cosmic rays which come to us from outer space.

(2) Radioactive substance present in the earth's crust.

Q17-If you swallowed an -source and a -source, which would be the more
dangerous to you? Explain.

Ans - source will be more dangerous than -source.

Reasons: As -particles have greater ionizing power than -particles so they

can cause serious they will stay in stomach due to less penetrating power. So
they are more dangerous.
Q18- Which radiation source would deposit more energy to your body?

(a) 10 mGy to your hand, or (b) 1Gy dose to your hand.

Ans 1 mGy dose deposit more energy to our body.

Reason: As we lenow, D= E/m Where m is mass of absorbing body

E= mD As mass of whole body is much greater than that of hand. Thus

1mGy dose deposit more energy according to above equation.

Q19- What is radioactive tracer? Describe one application of each in

medicine, agriculture and industry.

Ans A definite quantity of radioisotope introduced into a mechanical or

biological system to enable its route through the system.

1- Tracers are widely used in medicine to detect malignant tumors, blockage

in the blood vessels e.g brain and thyroid tumors are detected using I-131.

2- Tracers are also used in agriculture to study the uptake of a fertilizer by a

plant e.g 932 is incorporated in fertilizer and added to the soil.

3- Tracer technique is also very useful in detecting the cracks and leakage in
the joints e.g iridium 192 is used to test the welds.

Q20- How can radioactivity h/p in the treatment of cancer ?

Ans Radiotherapy with r-rays from cobalt 60 is often used in the treatment
of cancer. The r-rays are carefully focused on to the malignant tissues
cancerous cell multiply rapidly absorb more radiations and more easily
destroyed than normal cells by ionizing radioactive radiations. Radioactive
iodine 131 is used to cure cancer of thyroid gland. Phosphorous 32 and
strontium 90 are used to cure skin cancer.