NUCLEUS AND ITS COMPOSITION

Nucleus and Nuclear Particles:

Nucleus is small and positively charged part of an atom at the center where
entire mass of the atom is concentrated. E. Rutherford and his co-workers
conducted a series of scattering experiments, on the basis of which the existence
of he nucleus was first proposed in1911. These experiments helped to
understand the arrangement of sub atomic particles (electrons, protons and
neutrons) in an atom. From the experimental observations it was concluded that
the protons and neutrons are present in the nucleus where as electrons are
present in the empty space around the nucleus.

ATOMIC NUMBER: It is the numbers of electrons present out side the nucleus
or the number of protons present in side the nucleus. It is denoted by (Z).

Atomic Number (Z) = Number of electrons (e) OR Number of Protons (p)

NUCLEONS: The sub atomic particles (protons and neutrons) of nucleus are
collectively called nucleons. The total number of nucleons is denoted by A and is
called mass number of the nucleus.

Mass Number (A) = Number of Protons (p) + Number of Neutrons (n)

REPRESENTATION OF NUCLIDE: The nucleus of any atom is represented by

specifying the atomic number as a subscript at the left hand bottom of the atomic
symbol and mass number as a superscript at the left hand top of the symbol. For
example, carbon atom, its symbol is C; atomic number is 6, mass number is12. It
is represented as 12c .Such symbols are called as nuclides.
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NUCLEAR DIMENSIONS:
• The radius of the nucleus is of the order of 10-12 and that of atom is 10-8
• The radii of the various nuclei can be calculated by the following relation
r = R0 A1/3

Where; r= radius of nucleus

A= mass number
R0 = constant (1.4 x 10-24cm)

• Nuclear Dimensions are expressed in Fermi units, 1Fermi = 10-13cm.

• Area of cross section of nucleus is measured in unit called barn
(1barn = 10-24cm2)
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• Radius of nucleus is 10 times smaller than that of atom.
• Density is of the order of 1014 gcm-3.
• Volume is of the order of 10-38 cm3.

ISOTOPES, ISOBARS, ISOTONES, ISODIAPHERS AND NUCLEAR

ISOMERS

Isotopes:

These are the atoms having same atomic number but different mass
numbers.
They contain same number of protons but different number of nucleons.
For example: 11H ,12H ,13H are the isotopes of hydrogen
215 211
84 Po , 84 Po are the isotopes of polonium.

Isobars:

The atoms having different atomic numbers but same mass number are
called isobars. They contain same number of nucleons but different number
of protons.

For example: 2040Ca , 1840Ar or 82211Pb , 82211Bi

Calcium and Argon are isobars of each other having same mass number but
different atomic number.

Similarly Lead and Bismuth are isobars of each other.

Isotones:

These are the atoms having same number of neutrons but different number
of nucleons. But by appearance they have different number atomic number
and different mass number but the number of neutrons is same. For
example: 1430Si , 1531P , 1632S all these nuclides have different mass number
and atomic number. But if we calculate the number of neutron in each case it
is coming out to bethe16.
Because Number of neutrons = mass number (A) – atomic number (Z)

Isodiaphers:

These are the species which have different atomic number and different
mass number but same isotopic number i.e. (A-2Z) or (n-Z) For example,
19 39
9 F and 19 K are isodiaphers because isotopic number is 1.
Nuclear Isomers:

Those nuclear species which have same atomic number, same mass number
but have different radioactive properties. The difference in the properties is
due to the difference in their energy states.

BINDING ENERGY OF NUCLEUS

As we know, protons and neutrons all together are called nucleons. The sum
of the individual masses of various particles in the nucleus must be equal to
the nuclear mass. But actually it is not like so. There is a difference in the
masses. So this difference in the actual nuclear mass and the expected
nuclear mass (sum of the individual masses of nuclear particles) is
called mass defect.

According to Einstein the mass defect can be converted into equivalent

energy with the help of Einstein equation (E = mc2). This energy that is
equivalent to mass defect is responsible for holding the nucleon
together is called Binding Energy of the nucleus.

For example

Calculation for the binding energy of helium nucleus:

Helium nucleus has 2 protons and 2 neutrons.

Mass of two free neutrons (2x1.00867u) = 2.01734 u

Mass of two free protons (2x1.00728u) = 2.01456 u
Sum of the masses of 2 free neutrons
And 2 free protons = ------------------
4.03190 u

Observed masses of 2 protons and

2 neutrons present in a helium nucleus = 4.00150 u

-----------------------

Mass defect (Δm) = 0.03040 u

Mass defect in gram = 0.03040 / 6.02 x 1023 gram

(1u= 1/ 6.02 x 1023)

ΔE (binding energy) = mc2 = 0.03040 x 10-3 / 6.023 x 1023 kg

= 0.03040 x 10-3 x (2.998 x 108 ms-1) 2 / 6.023 x 1023

 = 4.539 x 10-12 J

= 4.539 x10-12 / 1.602 x 10-19 eV

= 2.83 x 107 eV or 2.83 x 107 x 10-6 MeV

= 28.3MeV (million electron volt)

This is the binding energy of the helium nucleus. As helium has 4 nuclear
particle, therefore binding energy per nucleon in He – 4 nucleus is 28.314 = 7.07
MeV. The binding energy per nucleon is a measure of stability of nucleus.

Direct method of calculating binding energy in MeV and in joules

Mass defect (Δm) in u or amu can be directly calculated by using formula

BINDING ENERGY ANDNUCLEAR STABILITY

Binding energy helps in finding the thermodynamic stability of the nuclide. Larger
the value of binding energy, larger will be the stability.
 Variation of binding energy per nucleon with mass number

Study of the graph reveals the following points.

1) For lighter nuclides binding energy is less.

2) It increases sharply in the beginning and attains a maximum value of 8.5 MeV
around mass number56.

3) In the central part it is reasonably constant then start decreasing gradually

after mass number 100.

4) Binding energy for 4He, 12

C, and 16
O is exceptionally high showing maximum
stability.
5) In case of heavier nuclides, the low value of binding energy shows the
unstable nature so they undergo nuclear fission reaction to form nuclei of
medium mass number and are relatively more stable.

6) The lighter nuclei may tend to undergo fusion to give nuclei of medium mass
number

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