Objectives

Following your study of this chapter, you should be able to:
  • 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