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The Nucleus and Radioactive Decay

Nuclear radius and nucleon number

  • 3 things to know
  • Unit A2 1

Overview

Relationship between nuclear radius and nucleon number and proton number.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Why does the fact that nuclear volume is proportional to nucleon number suggest that nucleons are packed closely together?

Key term

Compare the radius of a helium-4 nucleus with that of a uranium-238 nucleus.

Key term

State the relationship between nuclear radius and nucleon number, and define every symbol.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    State the relationship between nuclear radius and nucleon number, and define every symbol.

    Model answer

    R = r₀A^(1/3), where R is the nuclear radius in metres, A is the nucleon number and r₀ is a constant of about 1.2 × 10⁻¹⁵ m.

  2. 2

    Define nucleon number.

    Model answer

    The nucleon number is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.

  3. 3

    Define proton number.

    Model answer

    The proton number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which fixes the element and equals the number of electrons in the neutral atom.

  4. 4

    What quantities should be plotted to test the relationship between nuclear radius and nucleon number, and what does the gradient give?

    Model answer

    Nuclear radius R on the y-axis against A^(1/3) on the x-axis gives a straight line through the origin whose gradient is the constant r₀.

  5. 5

    Calculate the radius of an aluminium-27 nucleus, taking r₀ as 1.2 × 10⁻¹⁵ m.

    Model answer

    The cube root of 27 is 3, so R = 1.2 × 10⁻¹⁵ × 3 = 3.6 × 10⁻¹⁵ m.

  6. 6

    Calculate the radius of a nucleus of nucleon number 64, taking r₀ as 1.2 × 10⁻¹⁵ m.

    Model answer

    The cube root of 64 is 4, so R = 1.2 × 10⁻¹⁵ × 4 = 4.8 × 10⁻¹⁵ m.

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