Department of Physics

Assignments on Nuclear and Particle Physics

Answer the following questions, each carry two marks

1. (a) Find the density of 𝐶612 nucleus.

(b) Calculate the binding energy for the deuteron in MeV, Given 𝑀𝑛 =
1.675𝑋10−27 Kg, 𝑀𝑝 = 1.67 𝑋10−27 Kg, 𝑀𝐷 = 3.343𝑋10−27Kg, C=3X108 m/s.

c) Which experimental fact indicates saturation of nuclear force ?

d) Write down the asymmetry term in the Bethe-Weizsacker semiempirical formula
for nuclear binding energy.
e) Using the extreme single particle shell model, determine the ground state spin-
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parities of 𝑀𝑔12 nucleus.
f) Indicate the processes by which Gamma rays absorbed in matter.
g) What do you mean by “Parity Violation” ?
h) What are the Bohr’s hypothesis about a compound nucleus.
i) Calculate the threshold energy required to initiate the reaction P31(n,p)Si31. Given,
𝑚𝑛 = 1.00898 𝑢, 𝑚𝑝 = 1.008144 𝑢, 𝑀𝑃 = 30.9836 𝑢, 𝑀𝑆𝑖 = 30.98515 𝑢.

j) Explain the term ‘dead time’ of a GM counter.

k) Identify the unknown particle in the reactions given below, using the conservation
laws.
i) 𝜇 − + 𝑝 → 𝑛1 + ( ) ii) 𝜋 − + 𝑝 → 𝐾 𝑜 + ( ).
l) Write down the quark composition of proton and 𝜋 + .
m) Why does a free neutron not decay into an electron and a positron.
n) What are leptons? How many leptons are there.
o) A 𝜋 + meson of rest mass 273 me decays from rest to emit a 𝜇 + meson of rest mass
207 me with an average kinetic energy 4.2 MeV and a µ-neutrino. Calculate the energy of the
µ-neutrino.
i) Using the extreme single particle shell model, determine the ground state spin-parities of
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𝑀𝑔12 nucleus.
j) Indicate the processes by which Gamma rays absorbed in matter.
(k) What do you mean by ‘dead time’ and ‘recovery time’ of a GM counter.

(l) What is quenching of a GM counter? What is its necessity?

(m) Write down Bohr’s independence hypothesis on compound nuclear reaction mechanism.

(n) A cyclotron has a magnetic field of 1.5 Wb/m2. The extraction radius is 0.5 m. Calculate
the frequency of RF oscillator necessary for accelerating deuterons.
(m) What are leptons? Name any two leptons and their antiparticles.
(o) Explain parity violation in weak interaction or in Beta decay.
(p) Write down Gell-Mann- Nishjima relation. Find out strangeness number of the following
particles. K+, -,+, o.
State with reasons whether the following reactions are allowed or forbidden.
(q) 𝑛 → 𝜇 + + 𝑒 − + 𝛾 ii) 𝑒 − + 𝑒 + → 𝜇 + + 𝜋 − iii) 𝑝 + 𝜇 − → 𝑛 + 𝛾𝜇

t) Why does a free neutron not decay into an electron and a positron.

Group - B

Answer the following questions, each carry 5 marks

2. What do you mean by the quenching of GM counter. Why is it essential? How it is

achieved internally?
3. Find the Q-value of the nuclear reaction X(x,y)Y in terms of mass and kinetic energy of
the incident, product particles and residual nucleus, if the product nucleus emitted of an angle
90o w.r.t. the direction of the incident particle.
222 218
4. 𝑅𝑛86 decays to 𝑃𝑜84 by emitting an α- particle. If the parent nucleus is at rest before
decay, calculate the velocity of the emitted α- particle. Given, 𝑀𝑅𝑛 = 222.01753 𝑢, 𝑀𝑃𝑜 =
218.008930 𝑢 and 𝑀𝛼 = 4.002603 𝑢.
5. Show that in the β-decay,
𝑋𝑍𝐴 → 𝑌𝑍+1
𝐴
+𝛽 − + 𝛾̅𝑒 , the kinetic energy of recoil EY of the product nucleus Y is related to
the β- disintegration energy Q by the relation,
𝑄+2𝑚𝑜 𝑐 2
𝐸𝑌 = ( ) 𝑇𝑚𝑎𝑥 , here, Tmax is the maximum kinetic energy of the emitted β- particle
2𝑀𝑌 𝑐 2
and mo, MY are the masses of β and Y respectively.
6. Find the minimum kinetic energy in the laboratory system that a neutron must have in
order to initiate the reaction,
𝑛10 + 𝑂816 + 2.20 𝑀𝑒𝑉 → 𝐶613 + 𝐻𝑒24 . Given, 𝑀𝑛 = 1.008665𝑢, , 𝑀𝑂 = 15.994915𝑢, ,
𝑀𝐶 = 13.003355𝑢, , 𝑀𝐻𝑒 = 4.002603𝑢.
7. State with reasons whether the following reactions are allowed or forbidden.
i) 𝑛 → 𝜇 + + 𝑒 − + 𝛾 ii) 𝑒 − + 𝑒 + → 𝜇 + + 𝜋 − iii) 𝑝 + 𝜇 − → 𝑛 + 𝛾𝜇

iv)𝜋 − + 𝑝 → Λ𝑜 + 𝜋 𝑜 v) 𝜋 + + 𝑛 → Λ𝑜 + 𝐾 𝑜 .
8. Draw a typical β- ray spectrum. Why was it necessary to postulate the existence of a new
type of particle to explain this spectrum ?

9. What are colour quarks ? Why was it necessary to introduce an additional property
designated as colour to quarks and antiquarks?
Group - C

Answer the following questions, each carry ten marks

10. a) Explain the principle of operation of a cyclotron.

b) A cyclotron has an oscillator frequency of 12X106 MHz and Dee radius of 21 inches.
Calculate the magnetic induction (B) needed to accelerate deuterons. Given, e= 1.6 X 10-19
Coulomb, Md = 3.3 X 10-27 Kg.
c) Show that the radius of curvature of the path of the particle inside a cyclotron is
proportional to √𝑛, where n is the number of times the particles has been accelerated across
the space between the Dees.
11. a) Obtain the expression for the binding energy of a nucleus based on the liquid drop
model. State the semi-empirical mass formula of Bethe- Weizsacker.
b) State the Geiger-Nuttal law. What is meant by fine structure in α-ray spectrum.
Q.12. a) Discuss the energy spectrum curve from β-decay of a radioactive nuclide. Show that
the law of conservation of energy and momentum are not obeyed in β-decay. Show how
neutrino hypothesis explains this discrepancy. What is Kurie plot.
Q.13. a) Show that spin-orbit interaction force between nucleus overcomes the limitations of
single particle shell model.
b) Discuss the success and limitations of the single particle shell model.
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c) Find the total angular momentum and parity for the ground state of 𝑆16 nucleus using the
shell model.
Q.14. (a) What is meant by isospin ? Give the value of the isospin and the z component of
the isospin for (i) pions and (ii) nucleons.

(ii) Explain why the following reaction not allowed under the conservation of baryon
number and strangeness number + + n  K0 + K+.
(d) What is threshold energy in nuclear reaction ? Obtain an expression for threshold energy.
Q.15. (a) Why are the most stable nuclei found in the region near A = 60 ? Find the energy
release, if two 2H nuclei fuse together to form 4He nucles. The binding energy per nucleon of
H and He is 1.1 MeV and 7.0 Me V respectively.

(b) What are magic number ? What is the evidence for shell structure of the nucleus ?
Sketching the main assumption, explain the shell model of the nucleus.
15. (a) Find strangeness number of Ξ− from Gell- Mann Nishijima
formula.

(b) A + meson of rest mass 273 me decays from rest to emit a + meson of rest mass 207me with
an average kinetic energy 4.2 MeV and a muon neutrino. Calculate the energy of the muon
neutrino.

(c) State which of the following reaction are allowed by the conservation laws and which are
forbidden w.r.t strong and e-m interactions and give the reasons in either case. (4x1 = 4)
a) p  p  2   2   2 o
b)   e   e   
 

c) K   p   o  K o
d) p    n   


[Submit hardcopy of the solution within 04.01.2024 (Thursday), write your name and
roll number on the top of the sheet.]