Radioactivity: Introduction and History
1st Edition
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Description
Radioactivity: Introduction and History provides an introduction to radioactivity from natural and artificial sources on earth and radiation of cosmic origins. This book answers many questions for the student, teacher, and practitioner as to the origins, properties, detection and measurement, and applications of radioactivity. Written at a level that most students and teachers can appreciate, it includes many calculations that students and teachers may use in class work. Radioactivity: Introduction and History also serves as a refresher for experienced practitioners who use radioactive sources in his or her field of work. Also included are historical accounts of the lives and major achievements of many famous pioneers and Nobel Laureates who have contributed to our knowledge of the science of radioactivity.
Key Features
- Provides entry-level overview of every form of radioactivity including natural and artificial sources, and radiation of cosmic origin.
- Includes many solved problems to practical questions concerning nuclear radiation and its interaction with matter
- Historical accounts of the major achievements of pioneers and Nobel Laureates, who have contributed to our current knowledge of radioactivity
Readership
Undergraduate/graduate students, teachers and practitioners interested in the basics of radioactivity and nuclear radiation
Table of Contents
Foreword by Prof. Dr. W. Burkart,
Deputy Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna
Preface
Introduction: Radioactivity and our Well Being
Radioactivity Hall of Fame – Part I
Democritus (c.460-c.370 B.C.), W.C. Rontgen (1845-1923), H. Becquerel (1852-1908), Pierre (1859-1906) and Marie Curie (1867-1934), P. Villard (1860-1934), E. Rutherford (1871-1937), H.A. Lorentz (1853-1928), P. Zeeman (1865-1943), J.J. Thomson (1856-1940), P. Lenard (1862-1947)
Chapter 1. Alpha Radiation I. Introduction II. Decay Energies III. Alpha Particle Interactions with Matter IV. Alpha Particle Ranges
Radioactivity Hall of Fame – Part II F. Soddy (1877-1956), C.T.R. Wilson (1869-1959), F. Joliet (1900-1958) and I. Joliet-Curie (1897-1956), E. Fermi (1901-1954), W. Pauli (1900-1958), F. Reines (1918-1998) and C. Cowan, Jr. (1919-1974)
Chapter 2. Beta Radiation I. Introduction II. Negatrons III. Positrons IV. Beta-particle Absorption and Transmission V. Stopping Power and Linear Energy Transfer
Radioactivity Hall of Fame – Part III M. Planck (1858-1947), L. de Broglie (1892-1987), A. Einstein (1879-1955), A.H. Compton (1892-1962), M. von Laue (1879-1960), Sir W.H. Bragg (1862-1942) and Sir W.L. Bragg (1890-1971), H.G.J. Moseley (1887-1915), C.G. Barkla (1877-1944), M. Siegbahn (1886-1978), R.A. Millikan (1868-1953)
Chapter 3. Gamma- and X-Radiation – Photons I. Introduction II. Dual Nature: Wave and Particle III. Gamma Radiation IV. Annihilation Radiation V. Cherenkov Radiation VI. X-Radiation VII. Bremsstrahlung VIII. Interactions of Electromagnetic Radiation with Matter
Radioactivity Hall of Fame – Part IV J. Chadwick (1891-1974), L. Meitner (1878-1968 and O. Hahn (1879-1968), L. Szilard (1898-1964)
Chapter 4. Neutron Radiation I. Introduction II. Neutron Classification III. Sources of Neutrons IV. Interactions of Neutrons with Matter V. Neutron Attenuation and Cross Sections VI. Neutron Decay
Radioactivity Hall of Fame – Part V N. Bohr (1885-1962), G. Hertz (1887-1975) and J. Frank (1882-1964), W. Heisenberg (1901-1976), E. Schrodinger (1887-1961), M. Born (1882-1970) and P.A.H. Dirac (1902-1984), C. Davisson (1881-1958) and G.P. Thomson (1892-1975)
Chapter 5. Atomic Electron Radiation I. Introduction II. Internal Conversion Electrons III. Auger Electrons
Radioactivity Hall of Fame – Part VI V.F. Hess (1883-1964), C.D. Anderson (1905-1991), P.M.S. Blackett (1897-1974), Hideki Yukawa (1907-1981), C.F. Powell (1903-1969), D.A. Glaser (1926-), Pierre Victor Auger (1899-1993)
Chapter 6. Cosmic Radiation I. Introduction II. Classification and Properties III. Showers of the Cosmic Radiation IV. Cosmic Rays Underground V. Origins of Cosmic Radiation VI. Cosmic Background Radiation VII. Dose from Cosmic Radiation and other Sources
Radioactivity Hall of Fame – Part VII S. Ivanovich Vavilov (1891-1951), P. Alekseyevich Cherenkov (1904-1990), I. Mikhailovich Frank (1908-1990) and I. Yevgenyevich Tamm (1895-1971)
Chapter 7. Cherenkov Radiation I. Introduction II. Theory and Properties III. Cherenkov Photons from Gamma-ray Interactions IV. Particle Identification V. Applications in Radionuclide Analysis
Radioactivity Hall of Fame - Part VIII E.O. Lawrence (1901-1958, J.D. Cockroft (1897-1967) and E.T.S. Walton (1903-1995), H.A. Bethe (1906-2005), W.F. Libby (1908-1980)
Chapter 8. Radioisotope Decay, Radioactivity Units and Radionuclide Mass
I. Introduction
II. Half-life
III. General Decay Equations
IV. Secular Equilibrium
V. Transient Equilibrium
VI. No Equilibrium
VII. More Complex Decay Schemes
VIII. Radioactivity Units and Radionuclide Mass
Appendix A - Particle Range-Energy Correlations
Appendix B - Periodic Table of the Elements
Details
- No. of pages:
- 632
- Language:
- English
- Copyright:
- © Elsevier Science 2007
- Published:
- 18th July 2007
- Imprint:
- Elsevier Science
- eBook ISBN:
- 9780080548883
- Hardcover ISBN:
- 9780444527158
About the Authors
Michael L'Annunziata
Michael F. L'Annunziata earned his undergraduate BSc degree in Chemistry in 1965 from St. Edward's University and MSc and PhD degrees in 1967 and 1970, respectively, at the University of Arizona. His graduate thesis research in the 1960s was carried out under a research contract with the then US Atomic Energy Commission (US AEC). The research work dealt with the analysis of radionuclides and chemical remediation of the environment in the event of possible nuclear war and fission product fallout. His main research interests have been focused on the development of chemical and instrumental methods for the detection and measurement of radioactive nuclides and the utilization of radionuclides as tracers in biological research. L'Annunziata was formerly Head of Fellowships and Training at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria; and he has served as a representative for the IAEA in fact-finding, planning, and implementation assignments on peaceful applications of nuclear energy for development in over 50 countries of the world from 1976 to 2007. He is the author and editor of several books, including Radioactivity; Introduction and History, From the Quantum to Quarks published by Elsevier in 2016, which received an Honorable Mention in the 2017 PROSE Awards and the “Handbook of Radioactivity Analysis” now in its fourth edition.
Affiliations and Expertise
Former Head, IAEA Fellowships and Training, Vienna, Austria; Current office: Oceanside, CA, USA
Michael L'Annunziata
Michael F. L'Annunziata earned his undergraduate BSc degree in Chemistry in 1965 from St. Edward's University and MSc and PhD degrees in 1967 and 1970, respectively, at the University of Arizona. His graduate thesis research in the 1960s was carried out under a research contract with the then US Atomic Energy Commission (US AEC). The research work dealt with the analysis of radionuclides and chemical remediation of the environment in the event of possible nuclear war and fission product fallout. His main research interests have been focused on the development of chemical and instrumental methods for the detection and measurement of radioactive nuclides and the utilization of radionuclides as tracers in biological research. L'Annunziata was formerly Head of Fellowships and Training at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria; and he has served as a representative for the IAEA in fact-finding, planning, and implementation assignments on peaceful applications of nuclear energy for development in over 50 countries of the world from 1976 to 2007. He is the author and editor of several books, including Radioactivity; Introduction and History, From the Quantum to Quarks published by Elsevier in 2016, which received an Honorable Mention in the 2017 PROSE Awards and the “Handbook of Radioactivity Analysis” now in its fourth edition.
Affiliations and Expertise
Former Head, IAEA Fellowships and Training, Vienna, Austria; Current office: Oceanside, CA, USA
Reviews
CHOICE Magazine, July 2008: "This work provides an overview of the many interesting aspects of the science of radioactive decays, including in-depth chapters that offer reminiscences on the history and important personalities of the field ... The book can be useful as supplemental reading or as a reference when developing course material for nuclear physics, nuclear engineering, or health physics lectures. Special attention has been given to a chapter on the role radioactivity plays in everyday life applications...Generally the book is well produced and will be a valuable resource for the history of radioactivity. Many lectures can be lightened up by including material from this work. Summing up: RECOMMENDED. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals; technical program students." --U. Greife, Colorado School of Mines, USA "I found the biographical accounts of the various stalwarts of Physics inspirational. Most of them, if not all, had to overcome economic hardships or personal tragedies or had to do their ground breaking work in the face of tyranny and war. The biographies also highlighted the high standards of moral convictions that the scientists had as they realized the grave implications of some of their work and the potential threat to humanity. This ought to inspire and motivate young men and women aspiring to be Physicists. Even people who have been in the field for a while should find your book re-energizing. It certainly had that effect on me." --Dr. Ramkumar Venkataraman, Canberra Industries, Inc., Meriden, CT, USA.
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