Nuclear Physics
Nuclear physics is a branch of physics that deals with the constituents, structure, behaviour and interactions of atomic nuclei. This branch of physics should not be confused with atomic physics, which studies the atom as a whole, including its electrons.
According to the Microsoft Encarta encyclopedia, nuclear physics is defined as:
“The branch of physics in which the structure, forces, and behaviour of the atomic nucleus are studied.”
In the modern age, nuclear physics has become very wide in its scope and has been applied in many fields. It is used in power generation, nuclear weapons, medicines, magnetic resonance, imaging, industrial and agricultural isotopes, and more.
Who Discovered Nuclear Physics?
The history of nuclear physics as a distinct field from atomic physics begins with the discovery of radioactivity by Henri Becquerel in 1896. The discovery of the electron one year later indicated that the atom had an internal structure.
With this, studies began on the nuclei of atoms, thus nuclear physics was born.
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