Applications of Nuclear Physics

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While the average person might only think of nuclear power or nuclear weapons when they think of nuclear physics, this field of research has a very wide range of useful applications, from treating cancer to identifying contraband in a load of cargo.

A lot of today’s most critical developments in medicine, materials, energy, security, and tens of other sciences originate from research in nuclear physics. Solutions to some of the most essential questions facing our world will likely come from nuclear science.

Below are just a few categories of applications for nuclear physics research and principles.

Security and Energy

Nuclear systems have played a role in the results of wars and altered the political boundaries of the planet. Today, nuclear science still plays a vital role in global politics.

The past decade has seen a growth in the kinds of nuclear security issues facing modern society. For instance, substantial effort has been dedicated to using new concepts for nuclear forensics and border protection. Concurrently, traditional fields, like stockpile management and reactor safety measures, have more demands than ever. The efforts from the nuclear physics community to all of these issues have been both numerous and extensive.

Nuclear energy is an essential part of society's energy production. Most of the world’s nuclear power is produced using fission reactors based on models originally created for naval use. These and newer, second-generation reactors are largely safe and dependable.

Nuclear fusion reactors are still in in the experimental stage, and the nuclear physics community is exploring numerous procedures to achieve the required conditions for controlled nuclear fusion. Plasma conditions approaching those in stars is necessary for nuclear fusion, and attaining these incredibly hot, dense conditions in the laboratory is very difficult.

Healthcare

Nuclear physics principles have led to ground-breaking medical diagnostics and therapy methods, In addition to diagnosing and treating cancer, nuclear medicine processes are used to detect Alzheimer’s disease, treat hyperthyroidism and evaluate coronary artery disease.

Within the last few decades, new nuclear imaging technologies, like positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), have improved the performance of health care and allowed physicians to diagnose various kinds of diseases in their early stages. Today there are over 100 nuclear imaging methods available, most of which are noninvasive alternatives to biopsy or surgery. Unlike other imaging methods designed primarily to identify structure, nuclear medicine can also offer data about the status of practically every main organ system inside the body.

Radiopharmaceuticals can directly target the organ being treated. This kind of therapy depends on the power of ionizing radiation at short ranges, which reduces damage to nearby organs.

Art History and Archaeology

Using nuclear solutions to identify various stable and radioactive isotopes in archaeological relics and pieces of art allows the backgrounds of these artefacts to be uncovered. As several radioactive isotopes break down at various rates, various processes can be used to accurately date an object.

A radioactive isotope of carbon known as carbon-14 is widely used in this type of dating. This isotope exists naturally and is absorbed by living organisms. During life, the ratio of carbon-14 and the stable carbon-12 is about constant, but once an organism dies, the quantity of carbon-14 is decreased by radioactive decay at a known rate. By calculating the ratio of carbon isotopes in a sample, the date of an animal's or plant's death can be estimated. Comparable nuclear processes can also be used to establish the source of ancient artefacts, helping archaeologists better understand long-lost cultures.

Everyday Life

Most standard domestic smoke alarms use a radioactive isotope of the element americium to recognize smoke. In a smoke detector, a small amount of americium-241 emits alpha particles into an open-air ionization chamber. The air in this chamber becomes ionized, enabling a very small electrical current to flow. If smoke is in the chamber, this current declines and the alarm sounds.

A wide variety of household items are sterilized using ionizing radiation, including car parts, food packaging and gemstones. The radiation, generally y-rays, destroys bacteria, viruses, fungi, mold and insects using less energy that sterilization through heating. Medical equipment and supplies are also sterilized using ionizing radiation, as sterilization can take place after packaging, lowering the risk of contamination. Some foods are also sterilized with radiation and many countries require that foods processed with radiation be clearly labelled as such.