Nuclear Physics: Exploring The Heart Of Matter «Windows»

of its mass and holds the keys to understanding the fundamental forces of the universe. 1. The Building Blocks: Protons and Neutrons

, this mass is converted into , the energy required to disassemble the nucleus. 4. Nuclear Reactions: Fission vs. Fusion

When a nucleus has an unstable ratio of protons to neutrons, it undergoes to reach a more stable state. The three most common types are: Alpha ( Nuclear Physics: Exploring the Heart of Matter

Sterilization of medical equipment and smoke detection.

One of the most profound discoveries in nuclear physics is that the mass of a nucleus is actually less than the sum of the masses of its individual protons and neutrons. This "missing mass" is known as the . According to Einstein’s equation, of its mass and holds the keys to

) Decay: Emission of a helium nucleus (2 protons, 2 neutrons). Beta (

) Decay: A neutron turns into a proton (or vice-versa), emitting an electron or positron. Gamma ( The three most common types are: Alpha (

Carbon-14 dating to determine the age of organic artifacts.