Year 12 Physics

Module 8 | From the universe to the atom

Content 4: Properties of the nucleus

Lesson 1 | Radioactive decay

• analyse the spontaneous decay of unstable nuclei, and the properties of the alpha, beta and gamma radiation emitted (ACSPH028, ACSPH030)

• examine the model of half-life in radioactive decay and make quantitative predictions about the activity or amount of a radioactive sample using the following relationships:
  –  N_t = N_oe^−λt
  – $\lambda = \frac{ln\left ( 2 \right )}{t_{1/2}}$
  where N_t = number of particles at time t, N₀ = number of particles present at t = 0, λ = decay constant, t_1/2 = time for half the radioactive amount to decay

Lesson 2 | Ionising radiation

• analyse the spontaneous decay of unstable nuclei, and the properties of the alpha, beta and gamma radiation emitted

Lesson 3 | Nuclear fission

• model and explain the process of nuclear fission, including the concepts of controlled and uncontrolled chain reactions, and account for the release of energy in the process (ACSPH033, ACSPH034)

• analyse relationships that represent conservation of mass-energy in spontaneous and artificial nuclear transmutations, including alpha decay, beta decay, nuclear fission and nuclear fusion (ACSPH032)

Lesson 4 | Energy in fusion and fission

• account for the release of energy in the process of nuclear fusion

• predict quantitatively the energy released in nuclear decays or transmutations, including nuclear fission and nuclear fusion, by applying: (ACSPH031, ACSPH035, ACSPH036)
  – the law of conservation of energy
  – mass defect
  – binding energy
  – Einstein’s mass-energy equivalence relationship E = mc²

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