Spontaneous fission of ( , , ) gives a heavy-fragment peak at post-neutron mass .

PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Nuclear Physics · The nuclear force and nuclear models · Fission, fusion and nuclear energy

The Nucleus Resolved, Ch Fission: the double-humped barrier and the shells the drop cannot see

Problem

Spontaneous fission of

{}^{252}\mathrm{Cf}

(

Z_{\rm CN}=98

A_{\rm CN}=252

\bar\nu = 3.76

) gives a heavy-fragment peak at post-neutron mass

A_H = 142

. ((a)) Assuming unchanged charge density, so that each fragment's proton number is in proportion to its mass number,

Z_H/A_H = Z_{\rm CN}/A_{\rm CN}

, find the heavy fragment's proton number

Z_H

and neutron number

N_H

(nearest integer), and state how far it lies above each of the spherical magic numbers

Z=50

and

N=82

. ((b)) Using mass conservation, predict the light-fragment peak's mass number

A_L

and compare with the observed value of 108.