Note

Page 1: Key Concepts in Nuclear Physics

• Alpha particle

  • Nucleus of a helium atom emitted as radiation from a decaying heavy nucleus.

• Atomic number

  • Number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.

• Atomic line spectra

  • Spectral lines emitted or absorbed by low-pressure gases when excited.

• Balmer series

  • Visible light produced by excited Hydrogen electrons.

• Binding energy per nucleon

  • Energy needed to separate a nucleus into its nucleons, indicating nucleus stability.

• Binding energy

  • Energy required to break a nucleus into its constituent protons and neutrons.

• Beta particle

  • High-energy electron emitted from a decaying nucleus.

• Bohr model

  • Atom structure model correcting Rutherford model deficiencies.

• Continuous spectra

  • Electromagnetic spectrum separated into discrete frequencies.

• Electron volt

  • Energy gained by an electron moving across a potential difference of one volt.

• Electron

  • Negatively charged subatomic particle orbiting an atom.

• Electromagnetic spectrum

  • Family of waves not needing a medium, e.g., light, x-ray.

• Energy absorption

  • Energy taken in by an electron when excited.

• Energy level

  • Fixed energy quantities an electron can have in an atom.

• Ground state

  • Atom's lowest energy state with electrons.

• Gamma emission

  • Radioactive decay where unstable nucleus emits high-frequency radiation.

• Fusion

  • Nuclear reaction combining low mass nuclei into a stable, more massive nucleus.

• Fission

  • Nuclear reaction where a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei.

• Ionisation

  • Ability of nuclear radiation to remove an electron from an atom.

• Mass defect/deficit

  • Difference between the sum of nucleon masses and the actual nucleus mass.

• Lyman series

  • Ultraviolet light spectrum produced by excited Hydrogen electrons.

• Line spectrum

  • Narrow lines of color in a dark spectrum.

• Isotope

  • Atoms of an element with the same protons but different neutrons.

• Mass number

  • Sum of protons and neutrons in a nucleus.

• Neutron

  • Uncharged particle in the atom nucleus.

• Nuclear force

  • Attraction force between nucleons in the nucleus.

• Orbital

  • Space around the nucleus where an electron is likely found.

• Nucleus

  • Positively charged center of an atom with protons and neutrons.

• Nucleons

  • Protons and neutrons in the atom nucleus.

• Parent nuclide

  • Unstable nucleus decaying into lighter nuclei.

• Paschen series

  • Infrared light spectrum produced by excited Hydrogen electrons.

• Photoelectric effect

  • Metal surface releasing electrons when struck by photons.

• Photon

  • Packet of light energy.

• Quanta

  • Fixed amount of energy absorbed or emitted by matter.

• Planck's constant

  • Number for calculating radiant energy based on radiation frequency.

• Threshold frequency

  • Minimum frequency causing electron emission from a metal surface.

• Work function

  • Minimum energy for electrons to escape a metal surface.

• Rest mass

  • Particle mass when free.

• Mass-energy conservation

  • Total mass-energy of reactants equals total mass-energy of products.

• Ionisation energy

  • Energy to remove an electron from an atom.

• Excitation energy

  • Energy to move an electron to