Atomic and Nuclear Physics - 7BPH4C1 - Syllabus


II YEAR – IV SEMESTER
COURSE CODE: 7BPH4C1

CORE COURSE VIII – ATOMIC AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS

Unit I              POSITIVE RAYS
Properties of positive rays – e/m of positive rays – Aston’s, Bain bridge’s mass spectrograph-  critical potential – experimental determination of critical potential –Frank and Hertz experiment.

Photo electricity: Photoelectric emission – laws – Lenard’s experiment – Richardson and Compton experiment – Einstein’s photo electric equation – experimental verification of Einstein’s photo electric equation by Millikan’s experiment – Photoelectric cells.

Unit II             VECTOR ATOM MODEL
Various quantum numbers – L – S and j – j Couplings – Pauli’s exclusion principle – electronic configuration of elements and periodic classification – magnetic dipole moment of electron due to orbital and spin motion – Bohr magneton – spatial quantization – Stern and Gerlach experiment.

Fine structure of spectral lines- Spectral terms and notation – selection rules – intensity rule and interval rule – Fine structure of sodium D lines – Alkali spectra – fine structure of alkali spectra – Spectrum of Helium – Zeeman effect – Larmour’s theorem – Debye’s explanation of the normal Zeeman effect – Anomalous Zeeman effect .

Unit III           X – RAYS
Discovery – Production, Properties and absorption of X – rays – origin & analysis of continuous and characteristic X – ray spectrum – Duane & Hunt Law – Bragg’s law – derivation of Bragg’s law – Bragg’s X–ray spectrometer – Mosley’s law and its importance -  Compton effect – Derivation of expression for change in wavelength – its experimental verification.

X – ray crystallography- Definition of  Crystal – Crystal lattice – unit cell –– Bravais lattice – Miller indices – illustrations - Structure of KCl crystals.

Unit IV           RADIO ACTIVITY
Natural radioactivity – Laws of disintegration – half life and mean life period – Units of radioactivity – Transient and secular equilibrium – Radio carbon dating – Age of earth – Alpha rays– characteristics – Geiger – Nuttal law – α-ray spectra – Beta rays – characteristics.

Beta ray spectra – Neutrino hypothesis - Gamma rays and internal conversion– Nuclear isomerism- artificial radioactivity- Betatron – GM counter –– Cloud chamber

Unit V             NUCLEAR REACTION
Nuclear fission – chain reaction – four factor formula – critical mass and size – controlled chain reaction – nuclear reactor – Breeder reactor – Transuranic elements – Nuclear fusion – thermonuclear reaction – sources of stellar energy- Cosmic rays (outlines only).

Elementary Particles – Hadrons – leptons – Mesons – Baryons – Hyperons – Antiparticle and antimatter.


Text Books
  1. Modern Physics – R.Murugeshan , S.Chand &Co; 13th Edition, New Delhi, 2008.                                                          
  2. Modern Physics  –Sehgal & Chopra; Sultan Chand and publication, 9th Edition, NewDelhi, 2013.                                                                       
  3. Introduction to Modern Physics –H.S Mani, G K Mehta, Affiliated east – West  Pvt Ltd,  NewDelhi
  4. Nuclear Physics – D.C Tayal , Himalaya Pub.house, V Edition,  Mumbai, 2008.                                                                   
  5. Atomic & Nuclear Physics– Subramanyam & Brijal, S.Chand & Co; V Edition,  New Delhi, 2003.

Books for Reference:
  1. Atomic Physics– J.B Rajam, S.Chand & Co; NewDelhi 1959
  2. Concepts of Nuclear Physics – Bernard L Cohen, Tata Mc-Graw Hill Publishing Co., New Delhi, 1959