Spontaneous Fission: Natural Splitting of Heavy Nuclei
Spontaneous fission is a type of radioactive decay in which a heavy atomic nucleus splits into two or more smaller
Gamma Emission: Energy Release Without Changing Identity
Gamma emission is a nuclear process in which a nucleus releases excess energy by emitting a gamma ray—a high-energy photon—without
Beta-Plus Decay: Proton Converts into a Neutron
Beta-plus decay (or positron emission) is a type of radioactive decay in which a proton inside an unstable nucleus is
Beta-Minus Decay: Neutron Transforms into a Proton
Beta-minus decay is a type of radioactive decay in which a neutron inside an unstable nucleus transforms into a proton,
Alpha Decay: Emission of a Helium Nucleus
Alpha decay is a type of radioactive decay in which an unstable nucleus emits an alpha particle, which is composed
Nuclear Isomers: Long-Lived Excited States of Atomic Nuclei
Nuclear isomers are nuclei that exist in excited energy states for a measurable duration before decaying to their ground state
Shell Model: Quantum Structure of the Nucleus
The shell model of the nucleus is a quantum mechanical model that explains nuclear structure by arranging protons and neutrons
Liquid Drop Model: A Macroscopic View of the Atomic Nucleus
The liquid drop model is a theoretical model in nuclear physics that treats the atomic nucleus as if it were
Binding Energy per Nucleon: The Key to Nuclear Stability
Binding energy per nucleon is the average energy that holds each nucleon (proton or neutron) in an atomic nucleus. It
Hyperons: Strange Quark-Containing Baryons
Hyperons are a family of baryons—particles made of three quarks—that contain at least one strange quark alongside up and down