Quantum Mechanical Properties

of Nuclei
Lecture 4

Sizes and Shapes of Nuclei

How big are nuclei?
1-10 fm
sharp cutoff model, R=r0A1/3 fm
r0=1.07
r0=1.2
r0=1.44

Nuclear Sizes (cont.)

Diffuse surface model
!0
1+ e(r"R )/ a
! 0 = 0.172nucleons / fm 3
t = 4a ln(3) # 4.4a # 2.4 " 2.5 fm
t = radial $ distance $ between $ 90% $
and $10% $ density $ point s
!(r) =

Lighter nuclei are mostly surface

Nucleus Fraction of nucleons in the skin

12C
0.90
24Mg
0.79
56Fe
0.65
107Ag
0.55
139Ba
0.51
208Pb
0.46
238U
0.44

The Halo Nuclei

11Li

208Pb

Nuclear Spin and Parity

Nuclei have an intrinsic angular momentum.
This angular momentum is referred to as the
spin.
For odd A nuclei, the spin J is half integer.
(1/2,3/2, etc.) For even A nuclei, the spin J
is integer. (0,1,2,etc.). The magnitude of
the spin is multiple of hbar.

Parity (the symmetry properties

of the nuclear wave function)
!(r,s) = +!("r,"s)
# =+
!(r,s) = "!("r,"s)
# ="

For a central potential, V=V(r)

! = ("1)

Nomenclature
(J,)=3/2+
(J,)=7-

Nuclear Shapes
Some nuclei are spherical. Many are not.
Instead they can be football shaped

or frisbee shaped.

Electric and magnetic moments

Electric moments are measures of the
distribution of electric charge. Magnetic
moments measure the distribution of
electric currents.

Electric Quadrupole Moments

ch arge at point = !d" = ! ( r 2 dr sin #d#d$ )

potential at P = d%
d% =

!d"
!d"
=
1/ 2
2
2
&
(D + r ' 2Dr cos# )

3
1
P2 (cos# ) = cos2 # '
2
2
P1 (cos# ) = cos#
1
( r +2
!d" . r
d% =
01+ P1 (cos# ) + * - P2 (cos # ) + !3
) D,
D / D
2
V=

1 1 .
1 1 .
1
1.
1+
2( 3
2
0 4 !d" 3 + 2 0 4 !r cos#d" 3 + 3 0 4 !r * cos # ' - d" + !3
D /volume 2 D /volume
2,
2 D /volume ) 2
2

$3 2
1' 2
Q = +++ r ! (r)& cos " # )r dr sin "d"d*
%2
2(
2

1 2
a + c 2 ) = r0 A1/ 3
(
2
2
Q = Ze( a 2 ! c 2 )
5
R2 =

For 177Hf, Q = +3.0 e-barns. Calculate the ratio of the semi-major to semi-minor axes of this prolate nucleus.
Q/e = 2/5 Z (a2 c2)

Q/e
+ 3.0 # 10 "24
a c =
=
= 1.042 x 10-25
2 / 5(72)
2/5!Z
2

R2 = (a 2 + c2) = (r0A1/3)2
a2 + c2 = 2(r0A1/3)2 = 2(1.2 x 10-13 * 1771/3)2 = 9.079 x 10-25
2a2 = 1.012 x 10-24 a = 7.11 x 10-13cm c = 6.34 x 10-13cm
a/c = 1.12

Magnetic Moments
Classical Analogy

magnetic dipole moment = iA

" ev % 2 evr
= iA = $
'(!r ) =
# 2!r &
2
! = mvr
evr m e!
=
=
2 m 2m
gyromagnetic ratio = ( =

e
=
! 2m

Quantum mechanical view

! = m! "
e
e
=
!=
m ! " = m ! B
2m
2m
eV
erg
B = 5.78x10!5
= 9.27x10!21
tesla
gauss
B = Bohr magneton

!proton = m! N
N = nuclear magneton = 3.15x10!8

eV
erg
= 5.50x10!24
tesla
gauss

Gyromagnetic ratios
e
gN
!=
g=
2m p
!
g " g factor

Find

" = g" m" N

g" (n) = 0
g" ( p) = 1
s = gsmsN
gs = 2.0023

gs ( p) = 5.5856912
gs (n) = !3.8260837

Values of nuclear magnetic

moments
TablesStone,
http://www.uni-due.de/physik/wende/
keune/deutsch/nuclear-moments.pdf
Value of the n, p moments->Chap. 5
Value of the isotopic moments->Chap. 6