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VII: Quantum and nuclear physics

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    164588

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    • Chapter 31: Light Quanta
      This page explores the dual nature of light and matter, emphasizing wave-particle duality and its implications in quantum mechanics. It covers how light acts as both waves and particles, illustrated by the photoelectric effect, and expands on Louis de Broglie's hypothesis applying this concept to particles like electrons. The uncertainty principle is examined, highlighting the trade-off in measuring position and momentum, and the inherent uncertainties that arise in observing subatomic particles.
    • Chapter 32: Quantum physics
      This page explores the wave-like nature of matter in quantum physics, covering atomic models, specifically the Bohr model and its quantized electron orbits. It introduces quantum mechanics' core concepts, including Schrödinger's equation, wave functions, and the observer effect, with implications like wave function collapse and quantum superposition illustrated by Schrödinger's cat.
    • Chapter 33: Nuclear physics and radioactivity
      This page covers the atomic nucleus's structure and behavior, explaining its positive charge, components, and the strong nuclear force. It discusses radioactivity, decay processes (alpha, beta, gamma), and conservation laws. The text highlights gamma radiation's hazards, half-life concepts, and the asymptotic nature of decay. It addresses long-lived isotopes, radiation measurement, health effects, and artificial transmutation.
    • Chapter 34: Fission and fusion
      This chapter covers nuclear energy, focusing on fission and fusion processes. It details the mechanics of fission, including induced reactions and critical mass, and contrasts them with fusion, the power source for stars. The challenges of achieving controlled fusion are outlined, alongside the concepts of nuclear binding energy and energy release in reactions.

    Thumbnail: A tokamak is a device that uses powerful magnetic fields to confine high-temperature plasma in a torus (doughnut-shaped) configuration. It is a leading approach to magnetic confinement fusion, aiming to produce controlled thermonuclear fusion power. (CC BY-SA 2.5; CRPP-EPFL, Association Suisse-Euratom via Wikipedia)

    This page titled VII: Quantum and nuclear physics was last modified on Wed, 14 Oct 2026 21:07:22 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Alyssa J. Pasquale, David R. Fazzini, and Carley Bennett via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.