Introduction to Nuclear Physics

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What is nuclear physics?

Nuclear physics is the study of the constituents and interactions of atomic nuclei.

What are the primary components of an atomic nucleus?

The primary components of an atomic nucleus are protons and neutrons.

What is nuclear binding energy?

Nuclear binding energy is the energy required to disassemble a nucleus into its component protons and neutrons.

Define isotopes.

Isotopes are variants of a chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

What distinguishes nuclear fission from nuclear fusion?

Nuclear fission is splitting a heavy nucleus into two smaller ones, while fusion is combining light nuclei into a heavier one.

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