1. Visit the Following URL

Physics Nuclear Physics Lab

1. Visit the following URL: http://lectureonline.cl.msu.edu/~mmp/kap30/Nuclear/nuc.htm

2. The graph on the applet is the band of stability. The number of protons is graphed on the y-axis and the number of neutrons is graphed on the x-axis.

3. You can select an isotope in various ways. You can click in the band of stability or you can select an element from the column on the right.

4. On the left column are letters. Z is the number of protons, N is the number of neutrons, and A is the mass number which is the number of nucleons.

5. Select hydrogen-1. This is a stable nucleus. Add neutrons until the nuclide shown does not exist. What is the last isotope of hydrogen that exists? ______.

6. Select carbon. Which isotopes of carbon are stable?

7. Which isotope of carbon do you predict to exist in the largest abundance in the universe? What makes you pick that isotope?

8. As the atomic number of the nuclides increases what happens to the ratio of neutrons to nucleons?

9. Which odd/odd nuclei are stable? Hint: There are 5.

10. The magic numbers are 2,8,20, 28, 50, 82, and 126. Write down the nuclide notation for five stable isotopes that have magic numbers of neutrons and/or protons.

11. Choose 5 unstable nuclei. Write their nuclide notation and predict what type of decay they will undergo.

Please visit: http://www.particleadventure.org/index.html

12. Identify the three types of radiation. Explain what each type of radiation is made of.

13. What is radioactive half-life?

14. Where does the “missing mass” of a radioactive decay go?

15. What are virtual particles?

16. What is the difference between strong and weak decays? 17. What happens when matter and antimatter encounter each other?

18. What is a bubble chamber?

19. What is a Grand Unified Theory?

20. Under what conditions are the forces unified?

21. What is supersymmetry?

22. What is stringtheory?

23. How can very small dimensions exist?

24. What is dark matter?

25. How did Rutherford discover the nucleus?

26. Take the quiz on particle tracks.