We can say that the idea of the atom was based on the following principle: if we break any object into small smaller pieces, there would come a time when we would no longer be able to break it. Thus, it was initially proposed that the atom would be indivisible. However, today we know that it is not an indivisible particle, but a system composed of different particles.
It was from the atomic theories proposed by Dalton, that atoms were indestructible and indivisible spheres, that the science of atomic structure gained new directions of study.
Basically, nuclear physics makes objects of study the properties and behavior of atomic nuclei, as well as the basic mechanisms of nuclear reactions with neutrons and other nuclei. Thus, we can classify these properties as being static (charges, mass, binding energy, etc.) and dynamic (radioactivity, excited states, etc.).
Based on this principle, it is possible to make a basic classification of the forces that exist, which are:
- Gravitational force, which makes a direct relationship of mutual attraction between bodies, being responsible for the orbit of the planets.
- Electromagnetic forces, which give rise to electrical phenomena, chemical reactions and magnets.
- Weak nuclear force, which produces decay, in which an electron is emitted from the nucleus.
- Strong nuclear force, which is responsible for keeping the particles in the nucleus together, even though they contain equal electrical charges.
Nuclear physics is involved in several applications, such as obtaining electrical energy, in medicine (development of methods to produce radioactive materials used in diagnosis and treatment doctors), etc.
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By Domitiano Marques
Graduated in Physics
Brazil School Team
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SILVA, Domitiano Correa Marques da. "Nuclear Physics"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/fisica/a-fisica-nuclear.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
