Written to provide students who have limited backgrounds in the physical sciences and math with an accessible textbook on nuclear chemistry and physics, Introduction to Nuclear Science, Fourth Edition continues to provide a clear and complete introduction to nuclear chemistry and physics, from basic concepts to nuclear power and medical applications. Incorporating suggestions from adopting professors and collaborations with the U.S. Department of Energy-funded and American Chemical Society-sponsored Nuclear Chemistry Summer School, a new chapter on nuclear structure is now included.
Also new to this edition:
A section covering mass excess calculations
Isochron dating of rocks
The section on statistics is completely re-written to better align with conventional instruction
Expanded discussion of recent changes in the nuclear power industry and nuclear medicine
This book covers energetics, nuclear stability and structure, radioactive decay and reactions, interactions of radiation with matter, detection methods, and safety measures, including monitoring and regulations. This updated, expanded edition provides a much-needed textbook and resource for undergraduate students in science and engineering as well as those studying nuclear medicine and radiation therapy.
Author
Preface to the fourth edition
Preface to the third edition
Preface to the second edition
Preface to the first edition
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Radiation
1.2 Atomic Structure
1.3 Nuclear Transformations
1.4 Nuclear Stability
1.5 Ionizing Radiation
1.6 A Biological Threat?
1.7 Natural and Anthropogenic Radiation
1.8 The Chart of the Nuclides
Questions
Chapter 2 The Mathematics of Radioactive Decay
2.1 Atomic Masses and Average Atomic Masses
2.2 The Nature of Decay
2.3 Specific Activity
2.4 Dating
2.5 Branched Decay
2.6 Equilibria
2.7 Statistics
Questions
Chapter 3 Energy and the Nucleus
3.1 Binding Energy
3.2 Total Energy of Decay
3.3 Decay Diagrams
3.4 Mass as Energy
Questions
Chapter 4 Applications of Nuclear Science I: Power and Weapons
4.1 Nuclear Power
4.2 Nuclear Weapons
4.3 Nuclear Forensics
Questions
Chapter 5 Radioactive Decay: The Gory Details
5.1 Alpha Decay
5.2 Beta Decay
5.3 Positron Decay
5.4 Electron Capture
5.5 Multiple Decay Modes
5.6 The Valley of Beta Stability
5.7 Isomeric Transitions
5.8 Other Decay Modes
Questions
Chapter 6 Nuclear Structure
6.1 Nuclear Shape and Size
6.2 The Semi-Empirical Mass Equation
6.3 The Shell Model
6.4 Applications of the Shell Model
Questions
Chapter 7 Interactions of Ionizing Radiation with Matter
7.1 Ionizing Radiation
7.2 Charged Particles
7.3 Photons
7.4 Attenuation of Gamma and X-Radiation
Questions
Chapter 8 Detection of Ionizing Radiation
8.1 Gas-Filled Detectors
8.2 Scintillation Detectors
8.3 Other Detectors
8.4 Gamma Spectroscopy
Questions
Chapter 9 Applications of Nuclear Science II: Medicine and Food
9.1 Radiology
9.2 Radiation Therapy
9.3 Food Irradiation
9.4 Nuclear Medicine
Questions
Chapter 10 Nuclear Reactions
10.1 Energetics
10.2 Cross Section
10.3 Yield
10.4 Accelerators
10.5 Cosmogenic Nuclides
Questions
Chapter 11 Fission and Fusion
11.1 Spontaneous Fission
11.2 Neutron-Induced Fission
11.3 Fusion
11.4 Stellar Nucleosynthesis
11.5 Synthesis of Unknown Elements
Questions
Chapter 12 Applications of Nuclear Science III: More About Nuclear Reactors
12.1 Reactions in Reactors
12.2 Other Reactor Types
12.3 Reactor Safety Systems
12.4 Nuclear Power Plant Accidents
12.5 Fusion Reactors
Questions
Chapter 13 Radiation Protection
13.1 Terms
13.2 Regulations and Recommendations
13.3 Risk
Questions
Chapter 14 X-ray Production
14.1 Conventional X-ray Beams
14.2 High-Energy X-ray Beams
Questions
Chapter 15 Dosimetry of Radiation Fields
15.1 Percentage Depth Dose
15.2 Tissue Air Ratio
15.3 Tissue Maximum Ratio
15.4 Isodose Curves
15.5 Moving Fields
15.6 Proton and Electron Beam Dosimetry
Questions
Bibliography
Appendix A: Nuclide Data
Appendix B: Table of Chi-Squared
Appendix C: Useful Constants, Conversion Factors and Formulas
Appendix D: Periodic Table of the Elements
Index
Biography
Dr. Bryan has over 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals, including one book chapter and an encyclopedia article. His research has been featured on the covers of one book, two journals, and two professional society newsletters. Dr. Bryan co-authored a nuclear chemistry laboratory manual with Dr. Sid Katz in 2011. In 2015, Dr. Bryan worked with Dr. Nivaldo Tro to revise the nuclear chemistry chapters in Dr. Tro’s General Chemistry textbooks. They also worked as part of a larger group of authors to write 30-Second Chemistry (a.k.a. Know-it-All Chemistry) in 2017.
