Nuclear Science PDF
Preview Nuclear Science
Nuclear Science Nuclear Science (SECOND EDITION) PHIROZ DASTOOR MSc, MRIC, CET, PhD Consultant, Chemical Engineering Toronto, CANADA KETY BHATHENA MSc, PhD Controller of Examination, Jamshedpur Women’s College Ranchi, INDIA New Academic Science Limited 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX, UK www.newacademicscience.co.uk NEW ASCCAIEDNECMEIC e-mail: [email protected] Copyright © 2014 by New Academic Science Limited 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX, UK www.newacademicscience.co.uk • e-mail: [email protected] ISBN : 978 1 781830 73 4 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, microfilm, xerography, or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A Catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Every effort has been made to make the book error free. However, the author and publisher have no warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, with regard to the documentation contained in this book. (cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:2)(cid:3)(cid:6) Ours is the age of incredible breakthrough in science and technology; man has blazed a trail into outer space; built thinking machines and unravelled the mystery of cells in living things recently; humanity is moving towards giant progress into new and fascinating fields. The explosive development of technology and its extensive use is the hallmark of 21st century. To carry out all the day to day activities and further advancement in science in all the fields, there is a dire need of energy. It would be correct to say that today not a single area of technology can do without energy. At the dawn of civilization people were not even aware of the basic unit of matter called atom. However, as ages passed by, people have not only learnt what is exactly inside the atom but have cracked it too and harnessed the tremendous energy it yielded. The nucleus, however, is not fully understood; it remained a riddle yet. How are those particles (nucleons) packed within a tiny nucleus? What binds them? How can the nucleus be smashed open in a safest way? How can the vast amount of energy flooded out be controlled? Modern science courses covering atomic structure that deals with the arrangement of electrons and the peripheral part of the atom are taken up by nearly all budding scientists and engineers at the secondary school level. The structure of a nucleus, on the other hand, is not incorporated in the studies up to advance graduate level. Large scale experiments are still going on to probe the nucleus and the fields that remained unexplored. Particle physics has gained prominence and has emerged as the most interesting field of research. This book surely enables its readers to have a correct and detailed information on nucleus as well as nuclear energy tracing its story back to the earliest beginning, satiating the young minds pestered by many questions like the ones raised above. It would click off a renewed interest in the study of science topics to the readers as it is written in a simple language, avoiding complicated mathematical approach, yet keep them abreast with the recent developments in nuclear science. This book gives every possible detail in a most captivating manner with its various sub-titles of its chapters. To make it more interesting the text is dotted with exciting facts, curious incidents, quotes and small anecdotes associated with nuclear science. A new style of making a lesson go home is adopted. Something new and something old is blended well without the exhaustive detail. A picture or a data-table replaces thousands of words. Mathematical approach is limited to advance discussion only. The chapter dealing with the therapeutic uses of radioactivity is of special interest to medical students as well as general population. Generation of SAFE/GREEN NUCLEAR POWER and also the dangers of destructive energy released by the nucleus is discussed in the book which everybody ought to know in the present time. vi FOREWORD A very recent development in science by way of Large Hadron Collider Experiments and its goals included in the book are very knowledgeable and sure to spark interest in further reading about science. The book is worth considering as it covers Energy-crises scenario prevailing all over the world. The knowledge of production and use of nuclear energy will take the focus away from traditional natural sources of energy like wood, coal, and oil, which are rapidly depleting from the nature. It is the need of the day to keep abreast with current topics. The book has touched all the aspects of a nucleus, its energy, its transformation into other element, radioactivity, its various applications, and recent developments in the field that would answer the questions arising in inquisitive young minds. Many scientists and engineers make their first step to the summit under the influence of popular science literature. It is my firm belief that this book will help many young people facing the crucial choice—their fields of further studies and future occupation. It is likely to be a torchbearer to them and help in further studies like research in radioactivity, nuclear science or particle science. It can pave a way for advance learning. Professor Anwar A. Khan Ph.D., Fiete, Smiee Vice-Chancellor Ranchi University Ranchi, India (cid:7)(cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:8)(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:4) The last century has contributed a great deal to the advancement of Nuclear Science. The harnessing of nuclear energy for peaceful and beneficial uses has been the greatest achievement of man. This book has tried to strengthen the perspective by its rational and objective analysis. This book would enable its readers to have a correct and detailed look on Nuclear Science and would click off a renewed interest in the study of science texts. This fascinating branch of science was either unknown or not clearly known to many of us because we are ignorant of the basic facts of science. This book has been written in a very simple form, with every possible detail. This work’s of ours is designed as a beacon for those who want to know the kernel of Nuclear Science devoid of the outer husk. Because this book is written in the comprehensive language, which can be understood by any student of science, we hope that it is interesting and easy to understand. We are happy that the second edition of the book is in your hands. This edition is remodelled to suit the readers worldwide. Nuclear power plants in 32 countries of the world currently in operation and under construction, as of now gives the most recent scenario of electric power generation by nuclear fission. The information about the latest, yet safer technique of new reactor like Pebble Bed Reactor (PBR) which can be operated at high temperature is included in the book. We have met several people who lack a basic training in science and who have had no opportunity to plunge into it. But at the same time they are interested in science particularly in Nuclear Science therefore keen to know and understand more about it. Some persons whose constant encouragement was the inspiration behind the compi- lation of this little book deserve all our thanks. We thankfully acknowledge the support of social, medical and educational elites who have contributed the required information to make the text more interesting. Phiroz Dastoor Kety Bhathena (cid:11)(cid:2)(cid:12)(cid:13)(cid:4)(cid:12)(cid:13)(cid:14) Foreword (v) Preface (vii) 1. The Atom’s Ancestry................................................................................................1 1.1 Dalton’s Atomic Theory..............................................................................................3 1.2 Introducing the Atom.................................................................................................3 2. Radioactivity—Natural and Artificial Radioactivity ..............................................9 2.1 Discovery of Radium and Nucleus...........................................................................10 3. Nuclear Chemistry..................................................................................................14 3.1 Nuclear Forces and Binding Energy.......................................................................14 3.2 Modes of Decay and Causes of Decay......................................................................17 3.3 Artificial or Induced Radioactivity—Nuclear Reactions .......................................20 4. Peripheral of Nucleus—Behaviour of Electrons.................................................24 4.1 Emission Spectra......................................................................................................24 4.2 Drawback of Rutherford’s Model.............................................................................30 4.3 Bohr’s Model of Atom ...............................................................................................31 4.4 Modern Concept of Structure of Atom ....................................................................36 4.5 Utility/Importance of Studying Electronic Configuration.....................................51 5. Nuclear Energy .......................................................................................................54 5.1 Nuclear Fusion..........................................................................................................55 5.2 Nuclear Fission.........................................................................................................62 5.3 Fission Chains ..........................................................................................................67 5.4 Comparison between Nuclear Fusion and Fission.................................................75 6. The Friendly Nucleus .............................................................................................76 6.1 Nuclear Power Station.............................................................................................76 6.2 The Atomic Battery ..................................................................................................87 6.3 The Atomic Watch ....................................................................................................88 6.4 Atomic Lamp.............................................................................................................88 6.5 Management of Nuclear Waste ...............................................................................88 7. How Long Do Atoms Live?—Half-Life Period.....................................................90 7.1 Rate of Disintegration..............................................................................................90 8. How Old is Wood or Earth?—Radioactive Dating ..............................................93 8.1 Types of Radioactive Dating....................................................................................93
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