What is inside the nucleus? Why are some nuclei stable while others decay? (See [link].) Why are there different types of decay (αα size 12{α} {}, ββ size 12{β} {} and γγ size 12{γ} {})? Why are nuclear decay energies so large? Pursuing natural questions like these has led to far more fundamental discoveries than you might imagine.

We have already identified protons as the particles that carry positive charge in the nuclei. However, there are actually two types of particles in the nuclei—the proton and the neutron, referred to collectively as nucleons, the constituents of nuclei. As its name implies, the neutron is a neutral particle (q=0q=0 size 12{q=0} {}) that has nearly the same mass and intrinsic spin as the proton. [link] compares the masses of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Note how close the proton and neutron masses are, but the neutron is slightly more massive once you look past the third digit. Both nucleons are much more massive than an electron. In fact, mp=1836memp=1836me size 12{m rSub { size 8{p} } =”1836″ m rSub { size 8{e} } } {} (as noted in Medical Applications of Nuclear Physics and mn=1839memn=1839me size 12{m rSub { size 8{n} } =”1839″ m rSub { size 8{e} } } {}.

[link] also gives masses in terms of mass units that are more convenient than kilograms on the atomic and nuclear scale. The first of these is the unified atomic mass unit (u), defined as

This unit is defined so that a neutral carbon 12C12C atom has a mass of exactly 12 u. Masses are also expressed in units of MeV/c2MeV/c2. These units are very convenient when considering the conversion of mass into energy (and vice versa), as is so prominent in nuclear processes. Using E=mc2E=mc2 size 12{E= ital “mc” rSup { size 8{2} } } {} and units of mm size 12{m} {} in MeV/c2MeV/c2 size 12{“MeV/”c rSup { size 8{2} } } {}, we find that c2c2 size 12{c rSup { size 8{2} } } {} cancels and EE size 12{E} {} comes out conveniently in MeV. For example, if the rest mass of a proton is converted entirely into energy, then

It is useful to note that 1 u of mass converted to energy produces 931.5 MeV, or

All properties of a nucleus are determined by the number of protons and neutrons it has. A specific combination of protons and neutrons is called a nuclide and is a unique nucleus. The following notation is used to represent a particular nuclide:

where the symbols AA size 12{A} {}, XX size 12{X} {}, ZZ size 12{Z} {} , and NN size 12{N} {} are defined as follows: The number of protons in a nucleus is the atomic number ZZ size 12{Z} {}, as defined in Medical Applications of Nuclear Physics. X is the symbol for the element, such as Ca for calcium. However, once ZZ size 12{Z} {} is known, the element is known; hence, ZZ size 12{Z} {} and XX are redundant. For example, Z=20Z=20 size 12{Z=”20″} {} is always calcium, and calcium always has Z=20Z=20 size 12{Z=”20″} {}. NN size 12{N} {} is the number of neutrons in a nucleus. In the notation for a nuclide, the subscript NN size 12{N} {} is usually omitted. The symbol AA size 12{A} {} is defined as the number of nucleons or the total number of protons and neutrons,

where AA size 12{A} {} is also called the mass number. This name for AA size 12{A} {} is logical; the mass of an atom is nearly equal to the mass of its nucleus, since electrons have so little mass. The mass of the nucleus turns out to be nearly equal to the sum of the masses of the protons and neutrons in it, which is proportional to AA size 12{A} {}. In this context, it is particularly convenient to express masses in units of u. Both protons and neutrons have masses close to 1 u, and so the mass of an atom is close to AA size 12{A} {} u. For example, in an oxygen nucleus with eight protons and eight neutrons, A=16A=16 size 12{A=”16″} {}, and its mass is 16 u. As noticed, the unified atomic mass unit is defined so that a neutral carbon atom (actually a 12C12C size 12{“” lSup { size 8{“12”} } C} {} atom) has a mass of exactly 12 uu size 12{u} {}. Carbon was chosen as the standard, partly because of its importance in organic chemistry (see Appendix A).

Let us look at a few examples of nuclides expressed in the ZAXNZAXN notation. The nucleus of the simplest atom, hydrogen, is a single proton, or
11H11H (the zero for no neutrons is often omitted). To check this symbol, refer to the periodic table—you see that the atomic number
ZZ of hydrogen is 1. Since you are given that there are no neutrons, the mass number
AA is also 1. Suppose you are told that the helium nucleus or
αα particle has two protons and two neutrons. You can then see that it is written
24He224He2. There is a scarce form of hydrogen found in nature called deuterium; its nucleus has one proton and one neutron and, hence, twice the mass of common hydrogen. The symbol for deuterium is, thus,
12H112H1 (sometimes
DD is used, as for deuterated water
D2OD2O). An even rarer—and radioactive—form of hydrogen is called tritium, since it has a single proton and two neutrons, and it is written
13H213H2. These three varieties of hydrogen have nearly identical chemistries, but the nuclei differ greatly in mass, stability, and other characteristics. Nuclei (such as those of hydrogen) having the same
ZZ size 12{Z} {} and different NN size 12{N} {} s are defined to be isotopes of the same element.

There is some redundancy in the symbols AA size 12{A} {}, XX size 12{X} {}, ZZ size 12{Z} {}, and NN size 12{N} {} . If the element XX size 12{X} {} is known, then ZZ size 12{Z} {} can be found in a periodic table and is always the same for a given element. If both AA size 12{A} {} and XX size 12{X} {} are known, then NN size 12{N} {} can also be determined (first find ZZ size 12{Z} {}; then, N=A−ZN=A−Z size 12{N=A-Z} {}). Thus the simpler notation for nuclides is

which is sufficient and is most commonly used. For example, in this simpler notation, the three isotopes of hydrogen are 1H, 2H,1H, 2H, and 3H,3H, while the αα particle is 4He4He. We read this backward, saying helium-4 for 4He4He, or uranium-238 for 238U238U. So for 238U238U, should we need to know, we can determine that Z=92Z=92 for uranium from the periodic table, and, thus, N=238−92=146N=238−92=146 size 12{N=”238″-“92″=”146”} {}.

A variety of experiments indicate that a nucleus behaves something like a tightly packed ball of nucleons, as illustrated in [link]. These nucleons have large kinetic energies and, thus, move rapidly in very close contact. Nucleons can be separated by a large force, such as in a collision with another nucleus, but resist strongly being pushed closer together. The most compelling evidence that nucleons are closely packed in a nucleus is that the radius of a nucleus, rr size 12{r} {}, is found to be given approximately by

where r0=1.2 fmr0=1.2 fm and AA is the mass number of the nucleus. Note that r3∝Ar3∝A size 12{r rSup { size 8{3} } µA} {}. Since many nuclei are spherical, and the volume of a sphere is V=(4/3)πr3V=(4/3)πr3 size 12{V= ( 4/3 ) pr rSup { size 8{3} } } {}, we see that V∝AV∝A size 12{V prop A} {} —that is, the volume of a nucleus is proportional to the number of nucleons in it. This is what would happen if you pack nucleons so closely that there is no empty space between them.

Nucleons are held together by nuclear forces and resist both being pulled apart and pushed inside one another. The volume of the nucleus is the sum of the volumes of the nucleons in it, here shown in different colors to represent protons and neutrons.

Nuclear Forces and Stability

What forces hold a nucleus together? The nucleus is very small and its protons, being positive, exert tremendous repulsive forces on one another. (The Coulomb force increases as charges get closer, since it is proportional to 1/r21/r2 size 12{1/r rSup { size 8{2} } } {}, even at the tiny distances found in nuclei.) The answer is that two previously unknown forces hold the nucleus together and make it into a tightly packed ball of nucleons. These forces are called the weak and strong nuclear forces. Nuclear forces are so short ranged that they fall to zero strength when nucleons are separated by only a few fm. However, like glue, they are strongly attracted when the nucleons get close to one another. The strong nuclear force is about 100 times more attractive than the repulsive EM force, easily holding the nucleons together. Nuclear forces become extremely repulsive if the nucleons get too close, making nucleons strongly resist being pushed inside one another, something like ball bearings.

The fact that nuclear forces are very strong is responsible for the very large energies emitted in nuclear decay. During decay, the forces do work, and since work is force times the distance (W=FdcosθW=Fdcosθ size 12{W= ital “Fd””cos”θ} {}), a large force can result in a large emitted energy. In fact, we know that there are two distinct nuclear forces because of the different types of nuclear decay—the strong nuclear force is responsible for αα size 12{α} {} decay, while the weak nuclear force is responsible for ββ size 12{β} {} decay.

The many stable and unstable nuclei we have explored, and the hundreds we have not discussed, can be arranged in a table called the chart of the nuclides, a simplified version of which is shown in [link]. Nuclides are located on a plot of NN size 12{N} {} versus ZZ size 12{Z} {}. Examination of a detailed chart of the nuclides reveals patterns in the characteristics of nuclei, such as stability, abundance, and types of decay, analogous to but more complex than the systematics in the periodic table of the elements.

In principle, a nucleus can have any combination of protons and neutrons, but [link] shows a definite pattern for those that are stable. For low-mass nuclei, there is a strong tendency for NN size 12{N} {} and ZZ size 12{Z} {} to be nearly equal. This means that the nuclear force is more attractive when N=ZN=Z size 12{N=Z} {}. More detailed examination reveals greater stability when NN size 12{N} {} and ZZ size 12{Z} {} are even numbers—nuclear forces are more attractive when neutrons and protons are in pairs. For increasingly higher masses, there are progressively more neutrons than protons in stable nuclei. This is due to the ever-growing repulsion between protons. Since nuclear forces are short ranged, and the Coulomb force is long ranged, an excess of neutrons keeps the protons a little farther apart, reducing Coulomb repulsion. Decay modes of nuclides out of the region of stability consistently produce nuclides closer to the region of stability. There are more stable nuclei having certain numbers of protons and neutrons, called magic numbers. Magic numbers indicate a shell structure for the nucleus in which closed shells are more stable. Nuclear shell theory has been very successful in explaining nuclear energy levels, nuclear decay, and the greater stability of nuclei with closed shells. We have been producing ever-heavier transuranic elements since the early 1940s, and we have now produced the element with Z=118Z=118 size 12{Z=”118″} {}. There are theoretical predictions of an island of relative stability for nuclei with such high ZZ size 12{Z} {} s.