12. Quantum and nuclear physics

12. Quantum and nuclear physics

12.1 – The interaction of matter with radiation

Nature of science:

  • Observations: Much of the work towards a quantum theory of atoms was guided by the need to explain the observed patterns in atomic spectra. The first quantum model of matter is the Bohr model for hydrogen. Paradigm shift: The acceptance of the wave–particle duality paradox for light and particles required scientists in many fields to view research from new perspectives.

Understandings:

  • Photons

  • The photoelectric effect

  • Matter waves

  • Pair production and pair annihilation

  • Quantization of angular momentum in the Bohr model for hydrogen

  • The wave function

  • The uncertainty principle for energy and time and position and momentum

  • Tunnelling, potential barrier and factors affecting tunnelling probability

Applications and skills:

  • Discussing the photoelectric effect experiment and explaining which features of the experiment cannot be explained by the classical wave theory of light

  • Solving photoelectric problems both graphically and algebraically

  • Discussing experimental evidence for matter waves, including an experiment in which the wave nature of electrons is evident

  • Stating order of magnitude estimates from the uncertainty principle

12.2 – Nuclear physics

Nature of science:

  • Theoretical advances and inspiration: Progress in atomic, nuclear and particle physics often came from theoretical advances and strokes of inspiration. Advances in instrumentation: New ways of detecting subatomic particles due to advances in electronic technology were also crucial. Modern computing power: Finally, the analysis of the data gathered in modern particle detectors in particle accelerator experiments would be impossible without modern computing power.

Understandings:

  • Rutherford scattering and nuclear radius

  • Nuclear energy levels

  • The neutrino

  • The law of radioactive decay and the decay constant

Applications and skills:

  • Describing a scattering experiment including location of minimum intensity for the diffracted particles based on their de Broglie wavelength

  • Explaining deviations from Rutherford scattering in high energy experiments

  • Describing experimental evidence for nuclear energy levels

  • Solving problems involving the radioactive decay law for arbitrary time intervals

  • Explaining the methods for measuring short and long half-lives

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