Unveiling the Atom and Its Nucleus

Discoveries, Insights, and Understanding

Michael F. L'Annunziata

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2026
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Nuclear Physics
• eBook ISBN:
  9780443405501

Unveiling the Atom and Its Nucleus: Discoveries, Insights, and Understanding explores how chemists and physicists have used scientific principles and experimentation to unveil the structure of the atom, factors governing nuclear stability and decay, modes of nuclear decay, and how the components of the atom interrelate to govern nuclear stability or predict its instability. Examples are featured, showing how discoveries (some considered insignificant at the time) have led to remarkable findings and resulted in our knowledge of the concepts and properties of the atom, such as Oliphant's discovery of nuclear fusion, Bethe's energy production in stars, and consequent current fusion energy development.The book also describes a dichotomy in the application of atomic energy that includes current advances in vital applications such as nuclear medicine and nuclear energy upon which we depend dearly and the current proliferation of nuclear weapons that threaten our continued existence. - Provides stimulating topics rooted in the history of the topic, perfect for teaching and embellishing the learning of students in an engaging manner - Includes a logical, exhaustive, chronological-based format that takes the reader through the science, from initial discoveries and concrete scientific findings in the 17th century to current advances in the science of the 21st century - Presents the science to the reader as it was discovered, and in the period it was discovered

Table of contents

• Title of Book
• Chapter 1 Atoms, elements, and molecules: Early concepts and findings
• Chapter 2 Early characterization of nuclear radiation
• Chapter 3 The atom in the early 20th century
• Chapter 4 Quantum physics and the atom
• Chapter 5 Relativity, energy, mass, and atomic particles
• Chapter 6 Discovery of the neutron: Bringing insights into our understanding of the atom
• Chapter 7 First-generation accelerators dig into the atom providing insights and new atoms
• Chapter 8 Discovery of nuclear fission and birth of the nuclear era
• Chapter 9 Modern and contemporary breakthroughs in our understanding of the atom
• Chapter 10 The atom and the building blocks of matter: Its all energy
• Chapter 11 A dichotomy: Vital applications of nuclear energy and the threat of nuclear weapons
• Index