Nuclear Physics (eBook)

International Series of Monographs in Natural Philosophy

M. G. Bowler (Autor)

D. ter Haar (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: PDF

2013 | 1. Auflage
432 Seiten
Elsevier Science (Verlag)
978-1-4831-5175-5 (ISBN)

Infos

Nuclear Physics is concerned primarily with low-energy nuclear physics rather than high-energy or elementary particle physics, although examples from particle physics are used where appropriate. The Fermi Golden Rule is given emphasis throughout. This text consists of six chapters and begins with an introduction to nuclear physics, followed by a discussion on nuclear structure at a fairly basic level. This book also discusses the nuclear periodic table, radioactivity, and unstable nuclear states as well as nuclear mass and nuclear binding energy. Spin and static electric and magnetic moments are then examined from the perspective of quantum mechanics rather than through the vector model of angular momentum. Quantum mechanics is also used to treat nuclear decay in the next chapter. The theory of nuclear reactions is discussed by highlighting the concepts of cross-section and resonance. The penultimate chapter deals with self-sustaining nuclear reactions, with particular reference to the nuclear physics of fission reactors and the nuclear aspects of stellar physics. This chapter ends with the application of the theory of thermonuclear reactions to the design of a thermonuclear power plant. The final chapter is devoted to charge independence and isospin in low-energy nuclear physics.

Inhalt

Front Cover 1
Nuclear Physics 4
Copyright Page 5
Table of Contents 6
Preface 8
Introduction 10
CHAPTER 1. The Nuclear Periodic Table 14
1.1. The periodic table, radioactivity, and unstable nuclear states 14
1.2. Nuclear mass 22
1.3. Nuclear binding energy 26
1.4. Nuclear size 28
1.5. The semiempirical mass formula 47
1.6. The independent particle model, magic numbers and shell structure within the nucleus 58
1.7. Nuclear forces 69
CHAPTER 2. Angular Momentum and the Nucleus 73
2.1. Central forces, orbital angular momentum and spin 73
2.2. The quantum mechanical definition of angular momentum 76
2.3. Parity 79
2.4. Static electric moments 85
2.5. Static magnetic moments—the magnetic dipole moment 95
2.6. Diatomic molecular spectra and nuclear spin 110
CHAPTER 3. Nuclear Decay 114
3.1. Introduction 114
3.2. The Fermi Golden Rule 116
3.3. Electromagnetic decay of nuclei 122
3.4 Electric dipole transitions 127
3.5 Transitions other than electric dipole terms 131
3.6. Internal conversion 137
3.7. 0--0 transitions 142
3.8. Measurement of lifetimes in electromagnetic transitions 145
3.9. Determination of multipolarities in electromagnetic decay 148
3.10. Nuclear decay through the weak interactions—B-decay. Introduction 152
3.11. The theory of B-decayIn 155
3.12. Reiativistic effects in B-decay 167
3.13. Non-conservation of parity in the weak interactions 174
3.14. The weak interactions and parity, charge conjugation and t i m e reversal 185
3.15. Odd remarks on B-decay 187
3.16. a-decay 188
3.17. a-decay and the Fermi Golden Rule 197
CHAPTER 4. Nuclear Reactions 201
4.1. Introduction 201
4.2. Qualitative features of nuclear reactions 202
4.3. The concept of cross-section 205
4.4. Nuclear reactions and the Fermi Golden Rule 211
4.5. The partial wave analysis 219
4.6. Cross-sections and spin 226
4.7. Time-independent potentials: the optical model 231
4.8. Time-independent potentials: the two-nucleon system 233
4.9. Time-independent potentials: neutron capture by protons 250
4.10. Resonances. Introduction 256
4.11· Resonances in scattering from a potential hole 260
4.12. Structure resonances: the compound nucleus and low-energy reactions 265
4.13. The coulomb barrier 285
4.14. Examples of direct reactions: peripheral scattering processes 300
4.15. Examples of direct reactions: pickup and stripping reactions 305
4.16. Examples of direct reactions: neutrino interactions 307
CHAPTER 5. Self-sustaining Nuclear Reactions and Nuclear Energy Sources 313
5.1. Introduction 313
5.2. Nuclear fission 314
5.3. Induced fission 321
5.4. Secondary features of fission 322
5.5. Physics of the fission reactor 324
5.6. Time constant of a fission reactor 331
5.7. A note on breeding and fast neutron reactors 334
5.8. Thermonuclear reactions and stellar evolution. Introduction 334
5.9. Hydrogen-burning processes in the stars 337
5.10. Stellar evolution during hydrogen burning 347
5.11. Helium burning 351
5.12. Stellar evolution after helium burning 355
5.13. Thermonuclear power plants? Introduction 364
5.14. Nuclear physics of a fusion reactor 365
5.15. Optimal conditions for fusion reactor operation 368
5.16· Magnetic containment of charged particles 370
CHAPTER 6. Isospin 375
6.1. Introduction 375
6.2. Exchange symmetry: identical and non-identical nucleons 375
6.3. The nucleon and isospin 378
6.4. Isospin and nuclear structure 385
6.5. Isospin and nuclear decay: electromagnetic decay 392
6.6. Isospin and nuclear decay: B-decay 399
6.7. The pion and isospin 402
6.8. Strange particles 411
6.9. Concluding remarks 419
APPENDIX 1 Energy Units and Constants 421
1. The electron volt 421
2. Momentum and mass units 421
3. Values of physical constants 422
APPENDIX 2 Angular Momentum Coupling 423
Index 426
OTHER TITLES IN THE SERIES IN NATURAL PHILOSOPHY 432
Other Titles in the Series 433

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 11.9.2013
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Quantenphysik
• Themenwelt: Technik
• ISBN-10: 1-4831-5175-1 / 1483151751
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4831-5175-5 / 9781483151755