Particles, Radiation and Quantum Phenomena

Particles, Radiation and Quantum Phenomena

1. Stable/Unstable Nuclei

   • The Strong Nuclear Force
     • 1. The strong nuclear force has a very short range(no more than 3-4 femtometres).
     • 2. The strong nuclear force is attractive between nucleon ranges of a few femtometres(from 3-4 fm to about 0.5 fm). The strength of the strong nuclear force quickly falls beyond this distance.
     • 3. The strong nuclear force is repulsive between nucleon separations of distance 0.001 femtometres and 1 femtometre.
   • Alpha Emission
     • Only occurs in very big atoms (more than 82 protons), such as uranium and radium.
     • - Proton number decreases by 2.
     • - Nucleon number decreases by 4.
   • Beta Emission
     • Beta decay is the emission of an electron from the nucleus along with an antineutrino.
     • Beta decay happens in isotopes that are "neutron rich" (have too many more neutrons than protons in their nucleus).
     • - Proton number increases by 1
     • - Nucleon number stays the same.
     • - Antineutrino released (carries some energy and momentum).

2. Particles and Antiparticles

   • Pair Production