B.Sc NUCLEAR PHYSICS QUESTION BANK

SECTION A

Unit I Introduction to nucleus, nuclear forces and nuclear models

1.      What is special about the density of a nucleus?

2.      Give the empirical formula for the radius of a nucleus.

3.      Define the mass of a nucleus.

4.      What is meant by mass defect?

5.      Define binding energy and binding energy per nucleon?

6.      What is the charge in a nucleus?

7.      Enumerate the characteristics of nuclear forces.

8.      Nuclear forces are short range forces: Why?

9.      What is the basic principle of liquid drop model?

10.  What is the basic principle of shell model?

11.  What are the merits and demerits of liquid drop model?

12.  What are the merits and demerits of shell model?

13.  What are magic numbers?

14.  How Weizacker mass formula is designed?

Unit II Natural Radioactivity

15.  State Geigger-Nuttal law.

16.  Write any two properties of alpha rays

17.  Write any two properties of beta rays

18.  Write any two properties of gamma rays

19.  Define half life of a radioactive material.

20.  Define disintegration constant.

21.  Define mean life of radioactive material.

22.  What is internal conversion?

23.  What is nuclear isomerism?

24.  What is a neutrino?

25. State the properties of neutrino. Is it massless?

26.  What is radiocarbon dating?

27.  How age of earth is determined?

Unit III Radiation detectors and particle accelerators

28.  Name the different types of radiation detectors.

29.  What is the principle of ionization chamber?

30.  What is the principle of scintillation counters?

31.  What are the draw backs of linear accelerators?

32.  What are the applications of particle accelerators?

33.  Why electron cannot be accelerated using cyclotron?

34.  Name the particles that can be accelerated using cyclotron.

35.  What are the drawbacks of cyclotron?

36.  What is the principle of synchrocyclotron?

37.  Name the particles that can be accelerated using betatron.

38.  What are the applications of betatron?

Unit IV Artificial radioactivity, fission, fusion and reactor and atom bomb

39.  Define critical mass in atom bomb.

40.  What is the principle of atom bomb?

41.  What is the principle of hydrogen bomb?

42.  Define nuclear fission.

43.  Define nuclear fusion

44.  Define chain reaction

45.  What type of nuclear reaction takes place in sun?

46.  Define controlled and uncontrolled chain reaction

47.  What is meant by breeder reactor

48.  What is meant by artificial transmutation?

49.  What is use of radiocobalt and radioiodine radioisotopes?

50.  What is the use of radioicarbon and radiosodium?

51.  What is the use of radiobarium and radiophosphorous?

52.  What is meant by Q value in nuclear reactions?

53.  Write the energy balance equation.

54. Why slow neutrons are used in nuclear reactors.

Unit V Elementary particles and cosmic rays

55.  How elementary particles are classified?

56.  What are the constituent elements present in primary cosmic rays?

57.  What are primary cosmic rays?

58.  What are secondary cosmic rays?

59.  What is the origin of cosmic rays?

60. Give the quark structure of proton.

61.Give the quark structure of neutron.

62. Identify bosons/fermions/leptons in the following particles: photon, postiron, proton.

63. What are hadrons and leptons?

64. What are mesons and fermions?

65. What are bosons and hyperons?

66. How elementary particles are classified?

67. Which of the following refers to the same particle: alpha, beta, x-rays, photoelectrons, cathode rays, electrons, photons, deuterons, cosmic rays, canal rays, helium nuclei, gamma rays?

68. What are antiparticles?

SECTION B

Unit I

1.      Explain the meson theory of nuclear forces.

2.      Explain the binding energy per nucleon versus mass number curve on the basis of stability of nuclei, nuclear fission and fusion.

3.      Write short note on liquid drop model of nucleus

4.      Write short note on shell model of nucleus

5.      Derive Weizacker mass formula for binding energy of a nucleus

Unit II

6.      Obtain an expression for the half life, disintegration constant and mean life of a radioactive element.

7.      Explain how age of earth is determined using radiouranium dating.

8.      Explain how age of fossils is determined using radiocarbon dating.

9.      Summarize the characteristics of alpha, beta and gamma rays

Unit III

10.  Explain the construction and working of betatron.

11.  Explain the construction and working of cyclotron.

12.  Explain the construction and working of linear accelerator

13.  Explain the construction and working of Geiger Muller counter.

14.  Explain the construction and working of ionization chamber

15.  Explain the construction and working of synchrocyclotron.

Unit IV

16.  Explain the working of a nuclear reactor with a suitable diagram.

17.  Describe the thermo-nuclear reaction related to stellar energy on the basis of proton-proton cycle and carbon-nitrogen cycle.

18.  Explain nuclear fission, nuclear fusion and chain reaction.

19.  Explain the construction and working of nuclear reactor with suitable diagram.

20.  Write short note on atom bomb and hydrogen bomb.

21.  Write short note on production and applications of radioisotopes

Unit V

22.  Write short note on fundamental interactions of elementary particles.

23.  Explain how elementary particles are classified

24.  Write short note on quark model.

25.  What are primary and secondary cosmic rays and origin of cosmic rays?

SECTION C

Unit I 

1. Explain the binding energy per nucleon versus mass number graph and explains the concept of nuclear fission and fusion processes.

2.      What are the characteristics of nuclear forces? Explain meson theory of nuclear forces.

3.      Compare the liquid drop with nucleus. Explain the liquid drop model of a nucleus. Explain how nuclear fission is explained on the basis of liquid drop model. Explain Weizacker mass formula for binding energy based on liquid drop model.

4.      What are magic numbers? What are the evidences of existence of shell model? What are the applications of shell model? What are the differences between liquid drop model and shell mode

Unit II

5.      Discuss the law of disintegration and hence derive an expression for disintegration constant, half life and mean life.

6.      Discuss the law of successive disintegration. Discuss the transient secular equilibriums. Explain the process of determining the age of earth.

7.      What are the characteristics of alpha rays? State and explain Geiger Nuttal law. Explain Gamow’s theory of alpha decay.

8.      What are the characteristics of beta rays? Explain neutrino theory of beta decay

Unit III

9.      Explain the construction and working of betatron with suitable diagram.

10.  Explain the construction, theory and working of cyclotron with suitable diagram.

11.  Explain the construction and working of a bubble chamber with suitable diagram.

12.  Explain the construction and working of a linear accelerator. What are the disadvantages of linear accelerators?

13.  Explain the construction and working of a Geigger Muller counter.

Unit IV

14.  Explain the concepts of nuclear fission and fusion. Explain chain reaction which can lead to nuclear reactor and atom bomb. Write short note on thermonuclear reactions on the basis of proton-proton cycle and carbon nitrogen cycle.
15.  What is meant by artificial transmutation of elements? Explain Rutherford experiment on artificial transmutation. Give an account of the production and uses of radio-isotopes.
16.  Explain the nuclear reactor with suitable diagram. Write short note on atom bomb.
17.  Give an account of the production and uses of various radio-isotopes.

Unit V

18.  What are primary and secondary cosmic rays? What is the origin of cosmic rays? Write short note on Van Allen radiation belt.
19.  Explain the fundamental interactions in elementary particles namely weak interaction, strong interaction, electromagnetic interaction and gravitational interaction. Write short note on quark model.
20.  Explain how elementary particles are classified. Write short note on quark model.