Objectives

• cite at least three reasons that electrons cannot exist within the nucleus
• follow the discussion in the text of the discovery of the neutron
• understand and apply the nucleus designators A, N, X and Z
• know which which quantitiy (A, N, X or Z) determines chemical properties of an element
• calculate the nuclear radius of an atom
• calculate nuclear charge density of an atom
• find nuclear magnetic moments of the neutron, proton and electron
• define and calculate binding energy for a given atom
• have a quantitative understanding of the range of the nuclear force and whether it is charge dependent
• talk about the effect of the Coulomb force as the atomic number increases
• calculate the total Coulomb energy of a given nucleus
• use the von Weizsacker semi-empircal mass formula and note what each term represents
• briefly discuss the two types of models used to explain nuclear properties
• explain how the value of disintegration energy affects racioactive decay
• use the radioactive decay law to calculate the decay constant, the time it takes for a certain decay, the number of radioactive nuclei at a given time, the half-life or the mean lifetime
• state the law of conservation of nucleons and use it to determine whether a certain decay is allowed
• know the general forms of a decay, b- decay, b+ decay, g decay and electron capture
• name the four decay paths that heavy naturally occurring nuclides are allowed to take and why
• perform time dating using lead isotopes and radioactive carbon