An atom contains three particles: electrons, and protons and neutrons which are located in the nucleus. The Geiger-Marsden Experiment In this experiment a beam of alpha particles is aimed at a thin piece of gold foil. A zinc sulphide screen mounted on a rotatable...
The total number of components of a nucleus is known as the nuclear or mass number (A). A nucleon is a proton or neutron. The number of protons are known is known as the proton number or atomic number (Z). Nuclide Notation If X represents an element containing A...
Einstein suggested that mass and energy are equivalent E = mc2. A change in energy, increase or decrease, will lead to corresponding change in mass, ∆m = ∆E/ c2 Nuclear fission The process whereby heavy unstable nuclide break up to produce energy. Nuclear fusion The...