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Nuclear Radius

Q4. The radius of a nucleus, R, is related to its nucleon number, A, by the equation:

R = r0A1/3

where r0 is a constant.

The table lists values of nuclear radius for various isotopes.

 

Element
R/10–15m
A
carbon
2.66
12
silicon
3.43
28
iron
4.35
56
tin
5.49
120
lead
6.66
208

 

(a) Use the data to plot a straight line graph and use it to estimate the value of r0

(8 marks)

(b) Assuming that the mass of a nucleon is 1.67 × 10–27 kg, calculate the approximate density of nuclear matter, stating one assumption you have made.

(4 marks)

(Total 12 marks)