Introduction to Nuclear Physics

Nuclear reactions

• a

• A

• B

• b

• A + a

• b+B

• A(a,b)B

• Photonuclear reaction A(γ,b)B
• Radiative capture A(a,γ)B
• Elastic scattering A(a,a)A
• Inelastic scattering A(a,a’)A* A*=excited state

• How do we study a nucleus ?

The reaction energy: Q value

• Q = B(C) +B(d) - (B(A) + B(b))

• Q is a constant, a feature of each reaction.
• Q>0 exoergic
• Q=0 cold (elastic scattering)
• Q<0 endoergic: the minimum energy of the incident particle needed is the threshold energy

• b

• A

• C

• d

• B(b)+B(A)

• B(C)+B(d)

• A(b,d)C

• How do we study a nucleus ?