Nuclear Physics Course

Lesson 1 • Nuclear Size and Density

Quantifies nuclear radius using the empirical radius formula and derives nuclear density. Demonstrates the extreme density contrast between nuclei and atoms.

Lesson 2 • Historical Models of the Atom

Traces atomic theory from Thomson through Rutherford to Bohr. Establishes why classical models failed and motivates quantum treatment used throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Nuclear Composition and Notation

Defines protons, neutrons, and electrons and introduces standard nuclide notation. Connects mass number and atomic number to nuclear identity.

Lesson 4 • Atomic Mass and Binding Energy

Introduces atomic mass units, mass defect, and the mass-energy equivalence. Provides the quantitative basis for all energy calculations in later chapters.

Lesson 1 • Stability Criteria and Decay Prediction

Applies N/Z ratio, binding energy, and Q-value criteria to predict nuclear stability. Prepares students to classify nuclides before studying specific decay modes.

Lesson 2 • Nuclear Shell Model

Explains magic numbers through the nuclear shell model with spin-orbit splitting. Predicts ground-state spin and parity of odd-mass nuclei.

Lesson 3 • Semi-Empirical Mass Formula

Derives the Bethe-Weizsäcker formula term by term from physical arguments. Students apply it to compute binding energies and identify stability trends.

Lesson 4 • The Strong Nuclear Force

Characterises the short-range, charge-independent strong force that binds nucleons. Contrasts it with the Coulomb repulsion that destabilises heavy nuclei.

Lesson 1 • Beta Decay Modes

Covers beta-minus, beta-plus, and electron capture with neutrino emission. Explains the continuous beta spectrum and Fermi theory of weak interaction.

Lesson 2 • Decay Chains and Secular Equilibrium

Analyses multi-step decay series using Bateman equations and equilibrium conditions. Students model natural decay chains and determine equilibrium activity ratios.

Lesson 3 • Gamma Decay and Internal Conversion

Describes gamma emission as nuclear de-excitation and introduces multipole selection rules. Covers internal conversion as a competing electromagnetic process.

Lesson 4 • Decay Law and Activity

Derives the exponential decay law from first principles and defines activity units. Establishes the quantitative framework used in all subsequent decay calculations.

Lesson 1 • Reaction Kinematics and Q-Values

Applies conservation of energy and momentum to nuclear reaction kinematics. Derives threshold energy conditions for endothermic reactions.

Lesson 2 • Cross-Section Concepts

Defines microscopic and macroscopic cross sections and the mean free path. Connects cross-section magnitude to reaction probability and beam attenuation.

Lesson 3 • Direct Reaction Mechanisms

Contrasts direct reactions with compound nucleus processes in terms of timescale. Covers stripping, pickup, and knockout reactions as nuclear structure probes.

Lesson 4 • Neutron Reactions and Moderation

Analyses elastic scattering, capture, and fission cross sections for neutrons. Derives energy loss per collision and moderation ratio for common moderators.

Lesson 1 • Fission Neutrons and Products

Characterises prompt and delayed neutron emission spectra and fission product yields. Delayed neutrons are shown to be critical for reactor control.

Lesson 2 • Fission Discovery and Energetics

Reviews the discovery of fission and calculates energy release from mass defect. Establishes why fission of heavy nuclei releases far more energy than chemical reactions.

Lesson 3 • Neutron Multiplication and Criticality

Derives the four-factor and six-factor formulas for neutron multiplication. Students determine critical conditions for bare and reflected assemblies.

Lesson 4 • Reactor Kinetics and Control

Analyses prompt and delayed neutron kinetics and reactivity feedback mechanisms. Covers the role of delayed neutrons in making reactor control physically achievable.

Lesson 1 • Fusion Reaction Energetics

Calculates Q-values for key fusion reactions and compares energy yield per nucleon. Establishes why light-nuclei fusion releases more energy per mass than fission.

Lesson 2 • Thermonuclear Reaction Rates

Derives the Maxwell-Boltzmann-averaged reaction rate and the Gamow peak. Identifies the temperature range that maximises D-T fusion power density.

Lesson 3 • Magnetic Confinement Fusion

Explains tokamak geometry, magnetic field configuration, and plasma heating methods. Evaluates the Lawson criterion for ignition in magnetic confinement devices.

Lesson 4 • Inertial Confinement Fusion

Describes laser-driven implosion, hot-spot ignition, and target gain requirements. Contrasts driver efficiency and gain with magnetic confinement approaches.

Lesson 1 • Radiation Dose and Biological Effect

Defines absorbed dose, equivalent dose, and effective dose with their units. Connects physical energy deposition to biological risk using radiation weighting factors.

Lesson 2 • Photon Attenuation Mechanisms

Analyses photoelectric effect, Compton scattering, and pair production cross sections. Derives the total attenuation coefficient and half-value layer for shielding.

Lesson 3 • Neutron Interaction Mechanisms

Classifies neutron interactions by energy regime and dominant reaction type. Covers moderation, capture, and fast-neutron scattering for shielding analysis.

Lesson 4 • Electron and Positron Interactions

Covers ionisation, bremsstrahlung, and annihilation for electrons and positrons. Defines the critical energy and radiation length for electron transport.

Lesson 1 • Scintillation Detectors

Describes inorganic and organic scintillator mechanisms and photomultiplier readout. Compares NaI(Tl) and BGO for gamma spectroscopy applications.

Lesson 2 • Neutron Detection Techniques

Covers thermal neutron detection via conversion reactions and fast neutron detection by recoil. Introduces activation foil and fission chamber methods for flux measurement.

Lesson 3 • Spectral Analysis and Statistics

Applies Poisson statistics to counting experiments and propagates uncertainty. Covers peak fitting, efficiency calibration, and background subtraction for quantitative analysis.

Lesson 4 • Gas-Filled Detector Principles

Explains ionisation, proportional, and Geiger-Müller operating regions on the voltage curve. Covers pulse formation, dead time, and counting efficiency for gas detectors.