FYSS3301 Fundamentals of Nuclear Physics (5 cr)

• Bulk properties of nuclei

• Liquid drop model of the nucleus

• Nuclear shell model and single-particle states

• Deformed nuclei

• Vibrational nuclei

• Radioactive decay law

• Radioactivity: alpha decay, beta decay and electromagnetic transitions

On completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Describe bulk properties of the nucleus, including mass, volume and radii distributions and relationships.
• Relate the terms of the semi-empirical mass formula to properties of the nucleon-nucleon interaction and the binding of nucleons in nuclei.
• Use experimental atomic masses to calculate binding energies and separation energies of nucleons in nuclei.
• Identify a variety of experimental observables which indicate the need for a shell-model description of the nucleus.
• Use the nuclear shell model to calculate the nuclear spin and parity of the ground state as well as to understand simple single-particle excitations and related nuclear structure.
• Explain which mass regions require rotational and vibrational models of nuclei and to apply these in an appropriate manner.
• To use the radioactive decay law and to apply it to real-world scenarios of radioactivity.
• To make relationships between models of the alpha decay process and experimental alpha decay data.
• To use Q-value systematics in beta decay, to calculate log-ft values and to identify different types of beta decay transitions and how they related to the nuclear shell model.
• To make calculations of electromagnetic transition rates using a simple model and to compare the results with experimental data. 

• Courses FYSA2001 Modern physics (part A), FYSA2002 Modern physics (part B), FYSA2031 Quantum mechanics (part A) and FYSA2032 Quantum mechanics (part B), are recommended.
  

• Mathematical prerequisites: first order differential equations used for problems related to radioactive decay