Resources
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Highlights
Physics
The physics section begins with an introduction to the atomic nucleus, explaining its composition of protons and neutrons, the concepts of atomic number, mass number, and isotopes, distinguishing between stable isotopes and radioactive ones.
It then examines the forces inside the nucleus: the repulsive electrostatic force between protons and the strong nuclear force, which binds nucleons (protons + neutrons) together.
Next, it explains nuclear stability in terms of binding energy per nucleon: light nuclei tend to undergo fusion, while heavy nuclei tend to undergo fission.
Maths
In this section I derived the law of radioactive decay, showing that the number of nuclei decreases exponentially with time, characterized by the decay constant. The law is then studied as a mathematical function, including its limits, asymptotes, derivatives and integrals.
Sciences
In the sciences section, I introduced methods of absolute and relative dating, including radiometric dating, dendrochronology, and fossil guides.
Finally, I addressed the environmental and safety issues of radioactive decay, analyzing major nuclear accidents such as Fukushima (2011) and Chernobyl (1986), their causes, consequences, and ongoing management of radioactive waste.