Introduction to Nuclear Science

Dr. Bryan has over 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals, including one book chapter and an encyclopedia article. His research has been featured on the covers of one book, two journals, and two professional society newsletters. Dr. Bryan co-authored a nuclear chemistry laboratory manual with Dr. Sid Katz in 2011. In 2015, Dr. Bryan worked with Dr. Nivaldo Tro to revise the nuclear chemistry chapters in Dr. Tro’s General Chemistry textbooks. They also worked as part of a larger group of authors to write 30-Second Chemistry (a.k.a. Know-it-All Chemistry) in 2017.

• AuthorPreface to the fourth editionPreface to the third editionPreface to the second editionPreface to the first editionChapter 1 Introduction1.1 Radiation1.2 Atomic Structure1.3 Nuclear Transformations1.4 Nuclear Stability1.5 Ionizing Radiation1.6 A Biological Threat?1.7 Natural and Anthropogenic Radiation1.8 The Chart of the NuclidesQuestionsChapter 2 The Mathematics of Radioactive Decay2.1 Atomic Masses and Average Atomic Masses2.2 The Nature of Decay2.3 Specific Activity2.4 Dating2.5 Branched Decay2.6 Equilibria2.7 StatisticsQuestionsChapter 3 Energy and the Nucleus3.1 Binding Energy3.2 Total Energy of Decay3.3 Decay Diagrams3.4 Mass as EnergyQuestionsChapter 4 Applications of Nuclear Science I: Power and Weapons4.1 Nuclear Power4.2 Nuclear Weapons4.3 Nuclear ForensicsQuestionsChapter 5 Radioactive Decay: The Gory Details5.1 Alpha Decay5.2 Beta Decay5.3 Positron Decay5.4 Electron Capture5.5 Multiple Decay Modes5.6 The Valley of Beta Stability5.7 Isomeric Transitions5.8 Other Decay ModesQuestionsChapter 6 Nuclear Structure6.1 Nuclear Shape and Size6.2 The Semi-Empirical Mass Equation6.3 The Shell Model6.4 Applications of the Shell ModelQuestionsChapter 7 Interactions of Ionizing Radiation with Matter7.1 Ionizing Radiation7.2 Charged Particles7.3 Photons7.4 Attenuation of Gamma and X-RadiationQuestionsChapter 8 Detection of Ionizing Radiation8.1 Gas-Filled Detectors8.2 Scintillation Detectors8.3 Other Detectors8.4 Gamma SpectroscopyQuestionsChapter 9 Applications of Nuclear Science II: Medicine and Food9.1 Radiology9.2 Radiation Therapy9.3 Food Irradiation9.4 Nuclear MedicineQuestionsChapter 10 Nuclear Reactions10.1 Energetics10.2 Cross Section10.3 Yield10.4 Accelerators10.5 Cosmogenic NuclidesQuestionsChapter 11 Fission and Fusion11.1 Spontaneous Fission11.2 Neutron-Induced Fission11.3 Fusion11.4 Stellar Nucleosynthesis11.5 Synthesis of Unknown ElementsQuestionsChapter 12 Applications of Nuclear Science III: More About Nuclear Reactors12.1 Reactions in Reactors12.2 Other Reactor Types12.3 Reactor Safety Systems12.4 Nuclear Power Plant Accidents12.5 Fusion ReactorsQuestionsChapter 13 Radiation Protection13.1 Terms13.2 Regulations and Recommendations13.3 RiskQuestionsChapter 14 X-ray Production14.1 Conventional X-ray Beams14.2 High-Energy X-ray BeamsQuestionsChapter 15 Dosimetry of Radiation Fields15.1 Percentage Depth Dose15.2 Tissue Air Ratio15.3 Tissue Maximum Ratio15.4 Isodose Curves15.5 Moving Fields15.6 Proton and Electron Beam DosimetryQuestionsBibliographyAppendix A: Nuclide DataAppendix B: Table of Chi-SquaredAppendix C: Useful Constants, Conversion Factors and FormulasAppendix D: Periodic Table of the Elements Index