1.6. Planetary model of the atom, envisioned by Perrin in 1901Figure 1.7. Model of the atom envisioned by ThomsonFigure 1.8. Simplified experimental device by Geiger and MarsdenFigure 1.9. Rutherford scattering experiment set-upFigure 1.10. Planetary atomic model envisaged by RutherfordFigure 1.11. Scattering of a beam of α particles of an angle,θ, in the solid ang...Figure 1.12. Frontal collision between an α particle and an immobile nucleus of ...Figure 1.13. Comparisons of theoretical predictions according to the Rutherford ...Figure 1.14. Rutherford’s simplified experimental device for conducting the firs...Figure 1.15. Chadwick’s experimental set-upFigure 1.16. Internal proton and neutron structures according to the Gell-Mann a...Figure 1.17. Variation of the nuclear charge distribution density ρ (r); the nuc...Figure 1.18. Segrè diagram, the nuclear energy surface indicated in red, groupin...Figure 1.19. Energy El necessary to separate, to infinity, the nucleons of a nuc...Figure 1.20. Aston curveFigure 1.21. Comparison of the stability of the nuclei of uranium-238, strontium...Figure 1.22. Simplified Thomson device for identifying the canal rays discovered...Figure 1.23. Simplified diagram of a mass spectrographFigure 1.24. Uranium isotope trajectories in a magnetic deflectorFigure 1.25. Portion of the trajectory of a particle of charge q in motion in a ...Figure 1.26. Circular trajectories of isotope ions in the magnetic deflector
2 Chapter 2Figure 2.1. Profile of a harmonic potential well of depth V0Figure 2.2. Nucleon distribution according to the shell model for helium-4 and l...Figure 2.3. Nucleon distribution according to the shell model for the neon-18 nu...Figure 2.4. Shape of the Woods–Saxon potentialFigure 2.5. Shape of the Woods–Saxon potential for nuclei of mass number 16, 40,...Figure 2.6. Comparison of shell structures derived from a harmonic potential and...Figure 2.7. Comparison of shell structures derived from a harmonic potential and...Figure 2.8. Ground state of the helium-4 nucleus, Jπ = 0+; (a) distribution deri...Figure 2.9. Ground state of the lithium-6 nucleus, Jπ = 1+; and three excited st...Figure 2.10. Ground state of the nucleus of lithium-6, Jπ = 3/2−; and the first ...Figure 2.11. Ground state, Jπ = 0+; and excited states (Jπ = 2+, Jπ = 4+) of the...Figure 2.12. Ground state of the magnesium-25 nucleus, Jπ = 5/2+; and the two ex...Figure 2.13. γ-transitions to the ground level of the nickel-60 nucleusFigure 2.14. γ-transitions to the ground level of the barium-137 nucleusFigure 2.15. Competition of γ-deexcitation and the internal conversion processFigure 2.16. Electric monopole transition, E0, resulting from a process of initi...Figure 2.17. Variation in the internal conversion coefficient, αK with atomic nu...Figure 2.18. Variation in internal conversion coefficients (αK)el and (αK)mag re...Figure 2.19. General diagram of nuclear deexcitation by delayed-neutron emission...Figure 2.20. Bound levels and virtual levels of the nitrogen-14 nucleus. All lev...Figure 2.21. Diagram of nuclear deexcitation by delayed-neutron emission by the ...Figure 2.22. Summary of the treatment of binding energy within the framework of ...Figure 2.23. Mass parabola for the isobars of odd AFigure 2.24. Mass parabola for the isobars of even A. Note that there are two pa...Figure 2.25. Profile of the nuclear potential barrier between a nucleus of charg...Figure 2.26. Modified profile of the nuclear potential barrier between a nucleus...Figure 2.27. Nuclear levels of platinum-188 and thorium-228. For clarity, the en...Figure 2.28. γ-transitions to the ground level of the neon-22 nucleusFigure 2.29. Curve indicating the variation in the Napierian logarithm of the ra...Figure 2.30a. Shell structure derived from a harmonic potential (a) and distribu...Figure 2.30b. Shell structure derived from a harmonic potential (a) and distribu...Figure 2.30c. Shell structure derived from a harmonic potential (a) and distribu...Figure 2.31. Charge Q (r) contained in the nuclear envelope with radius rFigure 2.32. Internal and external electric fields created by charges Q (r) and ...
3 Chapter 3Figure 3.1. Creation of electron-positron pair by a process of materialization o...Figure 3.2. Process of annihilation of an electron-positron pair with production...Figure 3.3. Neutron decay by low interaction. It is the decay of the W− boson in...Figure 3.4. Proton decay by low interaction. It is the decay of the W+ boson int...Figure 3.5. Cowan and Reines experimental set-upFigure 3.6. Separation, by a uniform electric field, of α, β and γ radiations em...Figure 3.7. Exponential decay of the number, N(t), of radioactive nucleiFigure 3.8. α decay energy diagramFigure 3.9. Uranium-232 α decay energy diagramFigure 3.10. Variation of curve for several αZX emitters (polonium 84Po, prota...Figure 3.11. Modeling of α emission by tunnel effect. The barrier width is equal...Figure 3.12. Curve of variation as a function of time of the opposite of the Nap...Figure 3.13. Uranium-233 α decay energy diagram
4 Chapter 4Figure 4.1a. Experimental set-up of Frédéric and Irène Joliot-Curie that led to ...Figure 4.1b. Experimental set-up of Frédéric and Irène Joliot-Curie that led to ...Figure 4.2a. Description of a Geiger-Müller counterFigure 4.2b. Measuring principle using a Geiger-Müller counter. Source: https://...Figure 4.3. β− emission spectrum of phosphorus-32Figure 4.4. β+ emission spectrum of phosphorus-30Figure 4.5. Sargent diagram in its original form according to [SAR 33]Figure 4.6. β− decay energy diagram of cesium-137 (T = 32 years). The diagram sh...Figure 4.7. β+ decay energy diagram of sodium-22 (T = 2.58 years). The diagram s...Figure 4.8. Decay energy diagram of sodium-22 by electron capture (EC) and by β+...Figure 4.9. α and β− decay modes of radon-221Figure 4.10. Process of atomic deexcitation by emission of X-rays or of an Auger...Figure 4.11. Relative arrangement of the K-, L- and M-shells of copper atomsFigure 4.12. Electron-hole recombination processesFigure 4.13. Evolution curves of the activities of tellurium-131 and its daughte...Figure 4.14. Variation in the activity, A2 (t), of a radionuclide, X2, obtained ...Figure 4.15. Natural series of thorium. The stable end product of the family tre...Figure 4.16. Artificial series of neptunium. The stable end product of the famil...Figure 4.17. Natural series of uranium-235. The stable end product of the family...Figure 4.18. Natural series of uranium-238 (often called uranium-radium series)....Figure 4.19. Decay energy diagram of vanadium-48Figure 4.20. Energy spectra of β particles emitted by copper-64Figure 4.21. β decay energy diagram of indium-114Figure 4.22. Distribution of nucleons of titanium-48: (a) shell structure derive...Figure 4.23. Distribution of nucleons of vanadium-48: (a) shell structure derive...Figure 4.24. The most probable electric quadrupole transitions (E2) between exci...Figure 4.25. Decay energy diagram of vanadium-74Figure 4.26. Maximum energy of β− and β+ spectra of copper-64Figure 4.27. Decay energy diagram of potassium-48. Of particular note are its th...
List of Tables
1 Chapter 1Table 1.1. Fundamental properties of nucleonsTable 1.2. Molar percentages of the most significant isotopes of the first ten e...Table 1.3. Electron and nucleon masses in u and MeV/c2
2 Chapter 2Table 2.1. Order of the quantum states of a nucleon within the framework of the ...Table 2.2. Properties of a nucleon subjected to a harmonic potentialTable 2.3. Classification of