Department of International Relation

Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan

Subject Title Nuclear Physics Program B.S (Hons) IR
Lectures/Duration 1.30 hr Course code IR-102
Credit hours 3 Course Instructor Mr. Awais
Recommended Books:
1. “Fundamental of Physics” by Halliday, R. Resnik and J. Walker
2. “Introduction to Nuclear and Particle Physics” by V.K Mittal, R.C Verma and G.C Gupta
3. “Nuclear and Physics: An introduction” by Brian R Martin

Course Outline
Week 1:
The Nucleus: Basic Concepts, Historical developments, Constituents of Nucleus: Proton-Electron
Hypothesis, its failure and success, Proton-Neutron hypothesis, Its failure and success

Week 2:
Terms associated with p-e and p-n hypothesis: Atomic Number to Nucleon Number. Quantitative facts
about Nucleus: Size, Mass, Energy, Density and Charge of nucleus

Assignment#1

Week 3:
Binding Energy, Mass Defect, Packing Fraction, Nuclear Fusion Reaction, Nuclear Fission Reaction and
Binding Energy per nucleon
Week 4:
Nuclear Angular Momentum: Magnetic dipole moment and Electric quadrupole moment, Wave
mechanical properties of nucleus: Parity and Statistics
Quiz#1

Week 5:
Nature of Nuclear forces, Yukawa theory of Nuclear forces, Mass Spectroscopy including Bainbridge
Microscopy and Bainbridge & Jordan mass spectroscopy. Determination of charge by Mosley’s law.

Week 6:
Nuclear Models, Liquid drop model: Semi-empirical mass formula, Mass of most stable isobars,
achievements and failures of this model.
Shell Model: square wall potential, Harmonic oscillator potential, achievements and failures of this
model
Assignment#2

Week 7:
Radioactivity, Artificial radioactivity, Laws of disintegration, Radioactive series, Alpha Emission:
Properties of alpha rays, alpha spectrum, Geiger-Nuttal law and Gamow theory of Alpha decay
Quiz#2

Week 8:
Beta decay: Conditions for beta decay, Electron capture, Neutrino and Anti-Neutrino
Gamma decay: Internal conversion and internal pair production, Applications of Radio activity
Mid Term
Week 10:
Nuclear accidents and safety:
Chornobyl disaster, Fukushima disaster, nuclear power plant safety, and lessons learned from past
accidents.

Week 11:
Nuclear Energy and Sustainability: Nuclear reactor design, Nuclear safety culture, emergency
preparedness and response, and Nuclear waste management.

Assignment #3
Week 12:
Nuclear weapons and disarmament: Nuclear arms control management, Nuclear deterrence theory,
Nuclear weapon free zone and Nuclear weapons &international law.

Week 13:
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT): what is NPT? Effectiveness of NPT, Nuclear weapons states and
NPT, Nuclear safeguards and NPT review conferences.

Quiz #3
Week 14:
Nuclear testing and its effects: History of nuclear testing, environmental and health effects of nuclear
testing, international monitoring of nuclear testing and underground nuclear testing.

Assignment#4
Week 15:
Nuclear weapons and the middle east: History of nuclear weapons in the middle east, Impact of Iran
deal, Nonproliferation efforts in the middle east and role of outside powers in the middle east nuclear
landscape.

Poster Presentation
Week 16:
Final Term