Lecture 2

Nuclear decay
Applications of nuclear physics
Help sessions with TAs
Mon/Thur 3:30-4:30pm Hebb 10
Radioactive decay
Decay applet link
0
( )
rt
N t N e

Recall
Decay rate r
Time constant t1/r
Half life t
1/2
= ln(2) t 0.693 t
Activity (# of decays/s):
Units of activity:1 Ci = 3.7 x 10
10
Bq
0
( )
rt
R rN t rN e

Detection of radiation
Hydrogen bubble chamber
Energetic particles
(beta/gamma) leave
behind a trail of ions
Detection of radiation
Geiger (proportional) counter
Geiger counter
Application 1: Smoke detector
contains ~ 0.3mg Americium

241
Am
237
Np + a
t
1/2
=432 yrs
Radiation ionizes air, smoke
interrupts current



Activity of a smoke detector
m
Am
=241.057u; molar mass 241.057 g/mol

How many nuclei?
N=0.3 x 10
-6
g /241.057 g/mol x 6.022 x 10
23
/mol
N=7.49 x 10
14

Activity R = N x r =
N x ln (2)/t
1/2
=
38,133 Bq ~ 1 mCi
Application 2: Carbon dating

14
C unstable, t
1/2
=5730 yrs

constant ratio of
14
C/
12
C =
1.3 x 10
-12
in atmosphere,
14
C
replenished by cosmic rays

living organisms take in
14
C
while alive


14
C/
12
C ratio decreases
after death
Application 3:
Nuclear reactor
Fission reaction
Fission applet
Application 4: Nuclear Medicine
X-ray and CT-Scan



Imaging via radioactive isotopes:
131
I
(also
99
Tc,
133
Xe
81
Kr)

Diagnostics:
thyroid treatment, body
fluids, hormone levels

Radiation dose
Absorbed dose: energy absorbed per kg of tissue.
SI unit: 1 gray = 1 Gy = 1 J/kg
(alternate unit:
1 rad (roentgen absorbed dose)= 0.01 Gy)
Relative biological effectiveness (RBE):
gamma-rays (1), beta-particles (1-2), alpha (10-20)
Dose equivalent: absorbed dose x RBE factor
SI unit: 1 Sievert = 1 Sv
(older unit:
1 rem (roentgen equivalent for man) = 0.01 Sv)

Sources of radioactivity

40
K,
14
C (in body), cosmic rays, radon gas
Yearly dose ~ 3 mSv
from own body ~ 0.4 mSv
cosmic rays ~ 0.3 mSv
rocks ~ 0.3 mSv
Typical medical X-ray ~ 0.04 mSv
7h transatlantic flight ~ 0.03 mSv
Yearly dose from smoke detector ~ 30 mSv

The strong force
A charged nucleus should fall apart due to electrostatic
repulsion
A stronger short range force acts between all nucleons and
holds them together: strong force
The Shell Model low Z nuclei
protons and neutrons occupy
discrete energy levels (shells)
due to quantum mechanics

potential well is filled up
from the bottom

for low Z nuclei, the depth
is ~ 50 MeV

only a certain number of
nucleons fit on each shell:
2, 4, 2, 6,
Exercise (~5 min)
11
Li
3
is an unstable isotope of
lithium. Sketch the energy level
structure for the neutrons and
the protons in this nucleus. What
decay mode would you expect
for this nucleus? Write the full
equation for the decay you
expect, including the daughter
nucleus. Sketch the energy level
structure of the daughter. Is the
daughter nucleus stable?
12
B
5

12
C
6
-
12
N
7

12
C has lowest energy, other two isobars are unstable
and can lower their energy via beta-decay
even # of n or p and completely filled levels are most
stable
The shell model explains radioactivity


12 12
5 6
B C e

12 12
7 6
N C e

The Shell Model large Z nuclei
The energy levels of the
proton potential well
are higher due to
electrostatic repulsion
neutron and proton
energy wells fill up to
the same height

Heavy nuclei have
more n than p
Beta decay keeps both
filled levels at about
equal height
Why are there peaks in the stability curve?
Occupied energy
levels form closed
shells

magic numbers:
2, 8, 20, 28, 50,


4
He
2
and
16
O
8
are
double magic
(n=p=magic #)

just like electrons
for the noble gases
He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn