Introduces the essential radiation physics concepts of relevance for nuclear energy, radiation therapy, radiation protection and medical imaging professionals. Topics include basic constituents of matter; mass-energy equivalence; atomic mass unit; relativistic mass; de Broglie wavelength; Compton wavelength; excited states and radiation; nuclear stability and radioactive decay; radioactive disintegration laws; activation analysis; energetics of nuclear decays and reactions; binding energy and separation energies; nuclear fission and nuclear fusion; interaction of radiation with matter; charged particle interactions: range and stopping power; photon attenuation: photoelectric effect, Compton scattering and pair production; neutron interactions: elastic and inelastic scattering, capture, nuclear fission; neutron attenuation. Further topics include the physics of nuclear reactors; chain reactions; criticality of a reactor; elements of radiation protection: radiation units, quality factor and equivalent dose. Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hoursPrerequisite(s): 36 credit units at the university level including PHYS 115 or GE 122 or GE 124. Note: Students with credit for PHYS 352 may not receive credit for this course. This course was labeled PHYS 352 until 2014.
Introduces the essential radiation physics concepts of relevance for nuclear energy, radiation therapy, radiation protection and medical imaging professionals. Topics include basic constituents of matter; mass-energy equivalence; atomic mass unit; relativistic mass; de Broglie wavelength; Compton wavelength; excited states and radiation; nuclear stability and radioactive decay; radioactive disintegration laws; activation analysis; energetics of nuclear decays and reactions; binding energy and separation energies; nuclear fission and nuclear fusion; interaction of radiation with matter; charged particle interactions: range and stopping power; photon attenuation: photoelectric effect, Compton scattering and pair production; neutron interactions: elastic and inelastic scattering, capture, nuclear fission; neutron attenuation. Further topics include the physics of nuclear reactors; chain reactions; criticality of a reactor; elements of radiation protection: radiation units, quality factor and equivalent dose. Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hoursPrerequisite(s): 36 credit units at the university level including PHYS 115 or GE 122 or GE 124. Note: Students with credit for PHYS 352 may not receive credit for this course. This course was labeled PHYS 352 until 2014.
