What this chapter is about
The nucleus is the dense, positively charged core of an atom containing most of its mass. Despite being ~10⁻¹⁵ m across (10,000 times smaller than the atom), nuclei exhibit complex structure and behavior. Nuclei contain protons and neutrons held together by the strong nuclear force. Understanding nuclei requires knowledge of nuclear structure, radioactivity, nuclear reactions, and binding energy.
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Learning objectives
- 1Describe the nuclear Structure, Radioactivity, Nuclear Reactions, and Mass-Energy Equivalence
- 2Explain nUCLEAR STRUCTURE
- 3Explain nuclear Composition
- 4Explain isotopes and Isobars
- 5Explain nuclear Radius
- 6Explain nuclear Force
Your learning path
Key terms
ProtonNeutronNuclear fusionMass number (A)Nuclear densityNuclear fissionRadiocarbon datingFuelBE/ASafetyIsobarsFor ⁴HeQ-valueNucleusNucleonsNotation
23Concepts
23Formulae
10Minutes