Cory Carnley thinks that nuclear physics is the study of the properties of positively charged particles that make up the masses of atomic nuclei. How these structures that hold matter work comes down to how these particles interact with each other. Radioactive decay, fission, and the joining of nuclei are all examples of nuclear reactions. Nuclear physics has many uses in the natural world and in the world that people have made. What is nuclear physics, though? What does it mean for us?
When the neutron was found in 1932, it led to the discovery of many other things, such as atomic weights and the link between atomic spin and atomic weight A. Since then, nuclear physics has moved past the study of elementary particles and is now used more and more to learn about the Sun. Scientists also learned more about the structure of atoms after they found the neutron. But what does it mean that this was found? We don't know for sure, but this has helped us learn more about how the Sun gets its energy.
In the early 1900s, a scientist named Ernest Rutherford published an article in the journal Physical Review called "Retardation of a Radium Particle in Passing Through Matter." Later, Hans Geiger added to this work by sending alpha particles through gold leaf, aluminum foil, and air. In 1911, Rutherford told the Royal Society about these experiments. He came up with a new idea about the atomic nucleus in 1912.
It is thought that the r-process takes place when a star explodes into a supernova. Supernovae create the conditions for it to happen, like a high temperature, a lot of neutrons, and a lot of matter being thrown out. Also, a lot of energy is needed for this nuclear process to work. Cory Carnley believes that this process doesn't give off energy until the nuclei are smaller than iron. Because of this, it takes anywhere from hundreds of years to thousands of years for heavy elements to form.
The number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom tells us what kind of element it is. For example, the atomic number of oxygen is Z=8, while the atomic number of carbon is Z=6. The atomic number, written as A = Z+N, tells us how much an atom weighs. Radioactivity also happens when an unstable atom breaks down on its own and gives off ionizing radiation.
In 1932, scientists found out about neutrons. This led to the discovery of atomic weights and the link between the spin of an atom and its weight. Nuclear physics has grown beyond the study of fundamental particles thanks to ongoing research into how the Sun works. Also, the discovery of the neutron helped scientists learn more about how atoms are put together. But what will happen because of this? Even though we can't be sure, this discovery has given us more information about where the Sun gets its energy.
Cory Carnley mentioned that in the early 1900s, Ernest Rutherford wrote an article called "Retardation of a Radium Particle in Passing Through Matter" for the journal Physical Review. Hans Geiger later sent alpha particles through gold leaf and aluminum foil. In 1911, Rutherford told the Royal Society about what he had found. In 1912, he came up with a new idea about the atomic nucleus.
