Page 16 - GALIET PHYSICS BLOSSOMS IV+

image, where the electron orbitals of the C atoms spread out and joined into rings on either side of the benzene plane.6
This quantum superposition causes the C atoms to spread out widening the potential wells causing a lower energy ground state. The wider the potential wells, the lower the energy levels, and the longer the wavelengths. By contrast, the narrower the potential wells, the higher the energy levels and the shorter the wavelengths.
1.3: Nuclear Fission is a classic example of a quantum tunneling process, which can be used to explain radioactive decay, as well as many processes occurring in astrophysics.
1.3(a) Explain how nuclear fission works, taking the example of a heavy nucleus, which decays while emitting a gamma ray and an alpha particle.
When a nucleus gains or looses protonsàit becomes a different element because its atomic number changes. When a nucleus gains or looses neutronsàit becomes a different isotope because its atomic mass changes.
On Nuclear Fission and Quantum Tunneling7 • Nuclear Fission occurs when a nucleus is split into two smaller nuclei.
6 Dr. Stamp. From class lecture notes, and from Basic Ideas of Quantum Mechanics. I. Quantum States. 15.
7 Information on nuclear fission gathered from Bennet, Donahue. The Cosmic Perspective. 461-462, and from Dr. Stamp’s class notes, Basic Ideas of Quantum Mechanics. I. Quantum States.
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