Unit-I
Nuclear Properties: Rutherford’s scattering and Nucleus model of atom, Properties of Nuclei, Mass, Charge, Estimation of charge density, size, density, spin, parity, statistics, magnetic dipole moment, Electric Quadrupole Moment, Mass Defect and concepts of Binding energy, Constituents of nucleus, Discovery of neutron and proton-neutron hypothesis, Nuclear potential, Nuclear Force, Liquid drop model, Semi Empirical Mass formula and its applications; 1. Alpha decay, 2. Mass Parabola, 3. Mirror Nuclei, Nuclear Mass measurements, Aston's Mass Spectrograph, Double Focussing Mass Spectrograph and Doublet method.
Unit-II
Nuclear Fission:- The Discovery of Nuclear Fission, The Energy Release in Fission, Mass and Energy distribution of fission products, Neutron emission in fission, Energetics of Spontaneous fission, Bohr Wheeler theory and Quantum effects, Neutron induced fission, Fission cross-section and threshold, Nuclear Fission as a source of Energy, The Nuclear Chain Reaction, condition of controlled chain Reaction, The principle of Nuclear Reactors, classification of Reactors, Typical Reactors, Power of Nuclear Reactor, Critical size of Thermal Reactors, The Breeder Reactor, Reprocessing of the Spent Fuel, Physical, Chemical and Biological effects of nuclear radiations, Radiation hazards.
Unit-III
Nuclear Fusion: Nuclear Fusion reactions, The sources of stellar Energy, The problems of controlled nuclear fusion, The plasma-Fourth State of the Matter, Energy Balance and Lawson Criterion, Magnetic Confinement of Plasma. Classical plasma Losses from the Magnetic Container, Anomalous Losses, Turbulence and plasma Instabilities, The Laser fusion Problem, fusion Reactor: Elementary particles: Classification of Elementary Particles, Quantum Numbers, Fundamental Interactions, Unified approach (Basic ideas), The conservation Laws, Quarks, Basic idea of color and quark confinement.
Unit-IV
Accelerators: Ion sources, Cock-Craft-Walten High Voltage Generators, Van De- Graff Generators, Drift Tube Linear Accelerators, Wave Guide Accelerator, Magnetic Focussing In cyclotron, Synchrocyclotron, Betatron, the Electromagnetic Induction Accelerator, Electron Synchrotron, Proton Synchrotron.
Unit –V
Particle and Radiation Detectors: Ionisation Chamber, Region of Multiplicative Operation, Proportional Counter, Geiger-Muller Counter, Cloud Chamber. Cosmic Rays: Discovery of Comic Rays, Nature of Cosmic Rays, soft and hard component variation in cosmic rays- (i) Latitude Effect, (ii) East-West Asymmetry Directional Effect and (iii) Altitude Effect, Detection of cosmic Ray particles, Origin of Cosmic Rays