Disciplines
Nuclear Physics
Citation Formats
General Reference
APA Style
BibTeX
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies atomic nuclei and their constituents and interactions, as well as other forms of nuclear matter. Its discoveries underlie applications including nuclear power, nuclear weapons, nuclear medicine and magnetic resonance imaging. The discipline is generally dated to Henri Becquerel's 1896 discovery of radioactivity, which marked its emergence as a field distinct from atomic physics.
Facts
Founded YearSourced to the subject's own accountDated to Henri Becquerel's 1896 discovery of radioactivity, the point at which nuclear physics is treated as distinct from atomic physics. Central QuestionSourced to the subject's own accountWhat is the precise nature of the strong nuclear force that binds protons and neutrons into stable nuclei, and how do nuclear reactions release or absorb the enormous energies observed in fission, fusion and stellar nucleosynthesis? 1 ScopeSourced to the subject's own accountNuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the constituents, structure and behavior of atomic nuclei, including radioactivity, nuclear reactions and the strong force that binds protons and neutrons together. 1 SignificanceSourced to the subject's own accountErnest Rutherford's 1911 gold foil experiment, which found that most of an atom's mass is concentrated in a tiny, dense, positively charged nucleus, overturned the earlier plum pudding model of the atom and founded nuclear physics as a distinct field of study. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Sources
1. Nuclear Physics (Wikipedia)
Wikipedialead and History sectionsQuote, lead and History sections
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies atomic nuclei and their constituents and interactions, in addition to the study of other forms of nuclear matter.
1. Nuclear Physics (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHistory sectionQuote, History section
The history of nuclear physics as a discipline distinct from atomic physics starts with the discovery of radioactivity by Henri Becquerel in 1896, made while investigating phosphorescence in uranium salts.
1. Nuclear Physics (Wikipedia)
1. Nuclear Physics (Wikipedia)
1. Nuclear Physics (Wikipedia)
WikipediaPart Of: Physics, Lead sectionQuote, Part Of: Physics, Lead section
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies atomic nuclei and their constituents and interactions, in addition to the study of other forms of nuclear matter.
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.