Nuclear Physics and Energy Technology

PES 365 / ENSC 365

Fall 1997

An introduction to nuclear physics and energy technology. This course provides an introduction to nuclear structure and decay. Applications emphasize nuclear energy by fission and fusion. An introductory knowledge of quantum mechanics, such as a Modern Physics course, is assumed.

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PES 365 / ENSC 365 Course Details

• Professor / office hours
• course syllabus and information
• text and other recommended books
• grading
• assignments
• other nuclear physics links
• to Physics Department Home Page

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Dr. Tom Christensen

• office: Engr 210
• phone: 262-3130
• email: tchriste@mail.uccs.edu
• office hours: M 3:05 - 4:20; T, Th 9:00 - 10:00 am

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Course Syllabus and Information

prerequisite: introductory knowledge of quantum mechanics such as found in a Modern Physics course (PES 313).

• Basic Nuclear Structure
  • Chapters 1 - 4 or 5
  • August 25 - October 1
  • Exam 1 - approximately October 6
• Nuclear Decay and Radioactivity
  • Chapters 6, 8, 9, 10
  • October 8 - November 3
  • Exam 2 - approximately November 12
• Nuclear Reactions and Nuclear Energy
  • Chapters 11, 13, 14
  • November 5 - December 10
  • Exam 3 - December 15

Reasonable accommodation:

Students with a disability who require accomodations must provide a letter of accommodations from Supplemental Services (MH 132, x3065) within the first two weeks of the semester.

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Books

textbook: "Introductory Nuclear Physics", Kenneth S. Krane, (John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1988).

books on reserve (3 day checkout):

• "Nuclei and Particles: an introduction to nuclear and subnuclear physics", Emilio Segre, 1977.
• "Element of Nuclear Physics", W. E. Burcham, 1979.
• "A Guidebook to Nuclear Reactors", Anthony V. Nero, Jr., 1979.
• "Nuclear Power", Walter C. Patterson, 1976.
• Problem Set and Exam solutions (4 hour / overnight checkout)

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Grading

• 30 % Problem Sets (6-10)
• 15 % Exam 1 Chapters 1 - 4 or 5 (approx. October 6)
• 15 % Exam 2 Chapters 5 or 6 - 10 (approx. November 17)
• 15 % Exam 3 Chapters 11, 13, 14 (December ??)
• 25 % Project / Paper (Due December 8)

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Assignments

Final Project:

Topic Due: Monday, October 13

Outline Due: Monday, November 13

Project Due: Monday, December 8

Project could be a 15-20 page double spaced paper which might discuss some application of nuclear physics such as environmental issues, medical applications, astrophysics, nuclear power, . . . or might delve in more detail into some theoretical concepts in nuclear physics. The project could also be some type of computer programming project which might model some aspect of nuclear physics. You could also perform some type of laboratory experiment and write it up. I am also open to other suggestions. Talk to me if you have some other idea.

Problem Sets:

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Nuclear Links

Here is a small sampling of the WWW pages available to examine:

• Periodic Table of the Elements (includes crystal structure)
• Fundamental Physical Constants (NIST)

   

• Table of Nuclides
• Table of Isotopes (bad link??)
• Nuclear Information Service (Los Alamos National Lab)
• Lund Nuclear Data: http://nucleardata.nuclear.lu.se/nucleardata/
• JAERI Nuclear Data: http://wwwndc.tokai.jaeri.go.jp/index.html

   

• nuclear fusion basics (JET): http://www.jet.uk/fusion1.html
• ABS'c of Nuclear Science - CPEP: http://user88.lbl.gov/NSD_docs/abc/home.html
• Virtual Nuclear Tourist (nuclear power): http://www.cannon.net/~gonyeau/nuclear/index.htm
• JAVA Nuclear Power plant simulation: http://www.ida.liu.se/~her/npp/demo.html
• Radioactive Decay Calculator: http://ehs.ucsc.edu/rs/decay.html
• "The Particle Adventure" - CPEP: http://particleadventure.org/index.html
• Fusion - CPEP: http://FusEdWeb.pppl.gov/CPEP/Chart.html
• "The Science of High Energy Physics" - Fermilab: http://www.fnal.gov/pub/hep_descript.html
• DOE Nuclear Physics Division - current research areas in nuclear physics
• DOE/NSF Nuclear Science Advisory Committee - includes long range plan
• UC-Berkeley nuclear links: http://www.Nuc.Berkeley.EDU/front_web_sites.html
• Nuclear Physics and Engineering - international links
• other Nuclear links (MIP): http://www.mipltd.co.uk/links.html

   

• Univ. of Cape Town Nuclear Physics courses (notes, figures)
• Univ. of Aarhus nuclear physics course (lectures, exercises)
• University of Toronto Nuclear Physics course (lectures)

   

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last updated: September 24, 1997 (some new links added: 1/21/2000)