Created on April 3, 2024
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Terms in this set (10)
What is the Semi-Empirical Mass Formula (SEMF) used for in nuclear physics?
SEMF is used to calculate the atomic mass of nuclei by combining contributions from various terms related to nuclear structure and interactions.
What are the components of the Semi-Empirical Mass Formula?
The components include the volume term (aV), surface term (aS), Coulomb term (aC), asymmetry term (aA), and pairing term (δ).
How does the SEMF relate to the atomic mass (MN) of a nucleus?
The atomic mass MN(Z, A) is calculated as the sum of the mass of protons (ZmH), the mass of neutrons ((A - Z)mn), minus the binding energy B(Z, A) times c^2.
What does the volume term in the SEMF represent, and how is it calculated?
The volume term represents the bulk mass energy of a nucleus, proportional to the atomic mass number A.
Explain the significance of the surface term in the SEMF.
The surface term accounts for the energy due to nucleons at the surface of the nucleus, which interact with fewer neighboring nucleons, affecting the total binding energy.
Describe the Coulomb term in the SEMF and its effect on the nucleus.
The Coulomb term quantifies the electrostatic repulsion between protons in the nucleus, which reduces the binding energy.
What does the asymmetry term in the SEMF signify about nuclear stability?
The asymmetry term reflects the energy penalty for having an unequal number of protons and neutrons, affecting the nucleus's stability.
How does the pairing term (δ) in the SEMF influence nuclear stability?
The pairing term represents the additional stability gained from pairs of protons or neutrons, influencing the overall binding energy and stability of the nucleus.
What trend does the SEMF predict about the stability of nuclei with respect to the neutron to proton ratio (N/Z)?
SEMF predicts that stable nuclei tend to have more neutrons than protons, especially as the atomic number increases, reflecting the balance between nuclear forces and Coulomb repulsion.
According to the SEMF, how does the predictive power change with different atomic mass numbers (A)?
The predictive power of SEMF is more accurate for larger atomic mass numbers (A ≥ 20), where the formula better represents the systematic behavior of nuclear properties.