Radioactivity, Nuclear Physics and its Medical Applications
Part 13: Radioactivity, Nuclear Physics and Its Medical Applications
This part introduces the structure and behavior of the atomic nucleus, including the origins of radioactivity, the laws governing nuclear decay, and the processes that release nuclear energy. You will learn how nuclei are organized, why some isotopes are unstable, how half-life and activity describe radioactive samples, and how fusion, fission, tunneling, and nuclear binding energy are understood within modern physics.
The concepts developed in this part are especially important in medicine, biology, and public health. Nuclear physics provides the foundation for radiation detectors, diagnostic imaging, radioactive tracers, cancer treatment, and the safe use of ionizing radiation. You will also examine the biological effects of radiation, the use of radiation in food preservation, and the scientific principles behind both beneficial and destructive nuclear technologies.
This part contains the following chapters:
- Introduction to Radioactivity and Nuclear Physics
- Nuclear Radioactivity
- Radiation Detection and Detectors
- Substructure of the Nucleus
- Nuclear Decay and Conservation Laws
- Fusion
- Half-Life and Activity
- Binding Energy
- Fission
- Tunneling
- Nuclear Weapons
- Medical Applications of Nuclear Physics
- Medical Imaging and Diagnostics
- Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation
- Therapeutic Uses of Ionizing Radiation
- Food Irradiation
