Open AccessMass defect curve and nuclear constitution
Author(s) -
George Gamow
Publication year - 1930
Publication title -
proceedings of the royal society of london. series a, containing papers of a mathematical and physical character
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2053-9150
pISSN - 0950-1207
DOI - 10.1098/rspa.1930.0032
Subject(s) - electron , constitution , nucleus , nuclear force , physics , simple (philosophy) , mass number , atomic physics , nuclear physics , chemistry , political science , law , philosophy , neutron , nucleon , psychology , epistemology , neuroscience
In the discussion before the Royal Society on the constitution of the atomic nucleus held on February 7, 1929,* I proposed a simple model of a nucleus built from α-particles in a way very similar to a water-drop held together by surface tension. A certain number of protons (not more than three) and electrons can be bound to such an α-aggregate without forming a new α-particle. † Such additional units of nuclear constitution, usually bound less strongly than those involved in the α-particles, we shall term free nuclear protons and electrons. Their presence will, of course, affect the form of the nuclear energy curve (mass defect curve), not changing, however, its general shape. In the present paper I shall attempt to treat the problem more closely, analysing from the theoretical point of view the experimental facts concerning the nuclear energy.