Topic 1 Neutron Activation

(a) Describe how neutrons can make a sample radioactive.

(b) Give two examples.

Topic 2 Liquid Drop Model

Explain qualitatively why the liquid drop model of the nucleus (attributed by Miller to Bohr, but attributed by Bohr to Meitner) was important to the building of the atomic bomb and is important to the nuclear power industry.

Topic 3 Chain Reactions

(a) What is a nuclear chain reaction?

(b) What conditions are necessary to sustain a nuclear chain reaction?

Topic 4 Accelerators

(a) What is a particle accelerator?

(b) What good are they?

Examples

Robert Van de Graaff's first atom smasher produced a potential of 1 MV. How much energy does a proton need to overcome the coulomb repulsion of  carbon 14 nucleus with a radius of about 2.9 fm (10^-15 m)?

Textbook Problems