Educator

Nuclear Physics

• For a nucleus, A = Z + N, where A is the number of nucleons (also called atomic mass number), Z is the number of protons (atomic number), and N is the number of neutrons.
• Binding energy of a nucleus: it is the energy required to break the nucleus in separate nucleons (both protons and neutrons are called nucleons).
• The separate nucleons, taken together, have a mass larger than the mass of the nucleus. The difference in mass, times the square of the speed of light, is the binding energy of the nucleus.
• Alpha-Decay: A parent nucleus decays into an alpha particle (a helium nucleus) and a daughter nucleus.
• Beta-Decay: A parent nucleus decays into an electron and a daughter nucleus.
• Gamma-Decay: A nucleus makes a transition and emits a high energy photon.