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INTRODUCTION
On first coming into contact with the basics of nuclear physics, it is a good idea to obtain
a feeling for the range of energies, densities, temperatures and forces that are acting on
the level of the atomic nucleus. In figure I.1, we introduce an energy scale placing the
nucleus relative to solid state chemistry scales, the atomic energy scale and, higher in
energy, the scale of masses for the elementary particles. In the nucleus, the lower energy
Processes can come down to 1 keV; thGtev@igy- distance b excited. states in
SG thads nwvlel ahd X-ray or electron-conversion processes Sane TOD’ MeV, the
energy needed to'induce collisions between heavy nuclei. In figure 1.2 the density scale
is shown. This points towards the extreme density of atomic huclei compared to more
ordinary objects such as most solid materials. Even densities in most celestial objects
(regular stars) are much lower. Only in certain types of stars—neutron stars that can be
compared to huge atomic nuclei (see chapter 7)—do analogous densities show up. ‘The
forces at work and the different strength scales, as well as ranges on which they act and
the specific aspects in physics where they. dominate, are presented in figure 1.3. It is
Clear that it is mainly the strong force between nucleons or, at a deeper level, the strong
force between the nucleon constituents (quarks) that determines the binding of atomic
nuclei. Electromagnetic effects cannot be ignored in determining the nuclear stability
since a numiber of protons occur in a smnall region of space. The weak force, responsible
for beta-decay processes, also cannot be neglected.
In attempting a description of bound nuclei (a collection of A strongly interacting
nucleons) in terms of the nucleon-nucleon interaction and of processes where nuclear
states decay via the emission of particles or electromagnetic radiation, one has to make
Constant use of the*quantum-mechanical apparatus that governs both the bound (E < 0)
LY CLalon emney
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NUCLEI
SOLIDSTATE ATOMS
os CHEMISTRY
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Figure L1. Typical range of excitation energies spanning from the soli
yclementary particles. In addition, a few related temperatures are indicated.os
OgINTRODUCTION
SOLIDSTATE WHTEOWARE NEUTRON STAR BLACK
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water [DENSITY NUCLEAR MATTER
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Mure 12. Typical range of densities spanning the interval from the solid state phase into more
ekotic situations like a black hole.
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Figure L: ‘Schematic illustration of the ‘very different distance scales over which the four basic
interaction$ act. A typical illustration for those four interactions is given at the same time. Relative
interaction strengths atp also sown,
and unbound (E > 0) nuclear regime. Even though the n-n interaction,
attractive part and repulsive core part (figure 1.4),
mean-free path in the nuclear medium,
cis the connection between the non-rel
with a short range
Would not immediately suggest a large
8 quite regular average field becomes manifest.
lativisitic A-nucleon interacting Hamiltonian
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