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Department of Physics, University of Malakand

Assignment of Nuclear Physics
For BS 7" Semester and MSc 3" Semester
(Questions and Problems for Mid-Term Examination)

Questions
Q.1: What is a nuclide (nuclear species) and how is it represented?

9,2: Why aren't the masses of all nuclei integer multiples of the mass of a single nucleon?

Q.3: Define isotopes, isotones and isobars. Give examples of each.

Q.4: Is electron permitted to exist inside the nucleus. If not, why? Give as many reasons as you

can to defend your answer.

Q.5: In nuclear physics, what units are typically used for length, mass and energy?

Q.6: Briefly discuss the quantum theory of angular momentum.

Is it know all the three components of angular momentum at the same time? If
Q.7: possible to
not, why? Defend your answer.

Q.8: Why is the total angular momentum ofa nucleon half-integral?

Q.9: What do you mean by the parity operation?

i.e.
Q.10: Suppose that for a system, the potential is left unchanged by the parity operation,
Vr) =V(-r). What condition(s) does this impose on the resulting stationary state
wave

functions of the system?

Q.11: What is nuclear binding energy? Show that the binding energy ofa nucleus is given by:

B = [Zm(GH) + Nm,n - m(X)]c2

Q.12: What do you mean by proton separation energy Sp and neutron separation energy Sn?
Write down the expressions for both.

Q.13: What do you mean by binding energy per nucleon? Make a sketch ofthe binding energy
features. How explain nuclear fission and
per nucleon curve and discuss its important you
can

nuclear fusion on the basis of this curve?

 Q.14: According to the semi-empirical mass formula, the binding energy of a nucleus is given
by:

B(Z,A) =
ayA -a,A2/8- açZ(Z-1)A-/- (A-22)2
asym A +8(= 0, ta,A-3/4)
Discuss in detail the
origin and role of each term.
Q.15: For lighter nuclei, the number of protons is roughly equal to the number of
However, for neutrons.
heavy nuclei, additional neutrons are required for nuclear
stability. Why?
Q.16: What do you mean by nuclear
spin? Why is the nuclear spin integral for even-A nuclei and
half-integral for odd-A nuclei?
Q.17: What is the nuclear force? Write down
as many properties of the nuelear force as you can.
Q.18: What is deuteron? Discuss the
biding energy, spin and parity of deuteron.
Q.19: Suppose that the nucleon-nucleon potential for deuteron be
dimensional potential well
can
represented as a three-
given by:
Vr) = -V, for r < R

Vr) = 0 for r > R

Solve the radial part of Schrodinger wave

equation for this system.
Q.20: What is nuclear magnetic resonance and how can it be used to determine nuclear magnetic
moments?

Q.21: Discuss in detail the liquid drop model of nueleus.

Q.22: What are magie numbers? Discuss briefly.

Q.23: Why are the nucleons in a nucleus not permitted to undergo collisions?

Q.24: Discuss in detail Yukawa's meson theory of nuclear force.

Problems
P.1: Show that a mass of lu (u stands for unified atomic mass unit) is equivalent to 931,.5 Mev

of energy.
of the
P.2: Calculate the nuclear radius, volume, surface area and nucleon density for each
following nuclei:

C, 8Ar, 50Sn.
(Assume the nuclei to be spherical.)

P.3: Calculate the density of nuclear matter.

equal to
and having a mass
spherical planet made of nuclear
matter
P.4: Calculate the radius ofa
that of the Earth.
than its atomic density.
of iH is over 1014 times greater
P.5: Show that the nuclear density
of the first Bohr orbit.)
(Assume the atom to have the radius
in a
energies (in eV) of an electron and of a proton
Compare the magnetic potential
P.6:
magnetic field of 0.1T.
its
Larmor frequency ofa proton
in the earth's magnetic field where
P.7: Calculate the
EM spectrum is radiation of this frequency?
is 3.0 x 10-T. In what part of the
magnitude
make transitions
atoms are placed in an external magnetic field. The protons can
P.8: Hydrogen
to the field by absorbing or
nuclear spin is parallel and antiparallel
between states in which the transition to be induced by
field magnitude is required for this
emittinga photon. What magnetic
22.7MHz?
photons with frequency
P.9: The binding energy of a nucleus is given by:

B [Zm(GH) + Nmn-m(X)]c
binding energy and binding energy per nucleon for each
Using the above equation, calculate the
of the following nuclei:

He, 10, Fe, 233U.

of the above nuclei can be found in the book "Concepts of Modern Physics" by
(The masses

Arthur Beiser.)
P.10: According to the semi-empirical mass formula, the binding energy of a nucleus is given by:

B(Z,A) = ayA - a,A/3 acZ(Z - 1 ) A - / 3 -asym (A-22)+8(= 0,ta,A-s/4)

A

Using the above equation, calculate the binding energy for each of the following nuclei:

1g0. 8s, SMn, 99Ag.

For 10, compare the value you obtain with the value you obtained in P.9 and calculate the
percent error.

(For the coefficients, use this set of values: a, = 15.5 MeV, a, = 16.8 MeV, ac = 0.72 MeV,

asym23 MeV, and a, = 34 MeV)

P.11: Using the binding energy expression in P.10, show that for a given mass number A, the
atomic number Z of the most stable isobar is given by:

acA + 4asym
Z
2aA1/3 +8asymA
P.12: Consider the isobars Ne, 2Na and 2Mg. Using the expression in P.11 for the most
stable isobar, find out which of the above three isobars is the most stable. Then, using the
binding energy equation in P.9, calculate the binding energy per nucleon for each of these
isobars and show that the isobar you found to be the most stable is indeed the most stable.

P.13: What is the maximum wavelength of a y ray that could break a deuteron into a proton and
a neutron?

P.14: From the time-energy uncertaintyy principle, estimate the rest mass of pion.