Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store
NEET 2022 | Class 12

NEET Important Chapter - Nuclei

Get plus subscription and access unlimited live and recorded courses
Nuclei An Important Concept of NEET

Nuclei An Important Concept of NEET


Last updated date: 12th Dec 2024
Total views: 278.4k
Views today: 4.77k

Nuclear physics is the branch of physics which studies the nature of nuclei. The atoms are said to be revolving around nuclei. The nucleus of an atom consists of neutrons and protons, collectively called nucleons. 


This chapter is a part of Modern Physics and considered very important for the NEET exam. In this chapter we will study about the important topics of Nuclei such as properties of nucleus and radioactivity.  


In this article, we will be focusing on the concepts of Nuclei that play a vital role in the NEET exam.


Important Topics of Nuclei

  • Nuclear size and nuclear density

  • Mass energy relation and nuclear binding energy 

  • Radioactivity

  • Alpha, beta and Gamma decay

  • Nuclear fission and fusion


Important Concepts of Nuclei

We know that in a chapter there will be many concepts that are being mentioned in the textbook, but when it comes to NEET preparation we have to focus on what is most important among all the concepts in the chapter. Below is the table provided for some most important concepts of Nuclei.

Sl. No

Name of the Concept

Key Points of Concept

1.

Nuclear size and nuclear density

  • The radius of the nucleus is given by R=R0A1/3. Where, R0 = 1.3 fermi and A = mass number. 

  • Volume of Nucleus is given by 43πR0(A1/3)3

2.

Mass energy relation and nuclear binding energy 

  • Mass energy relation tells us that when a certain mass (m) disappears then an equivalent amount of energy E appears and vice-versa.

  • The energy with which nucleons in a nucleus are bonded is referred to as the nucleus' binding energy. It is determined by the amount of effort necessary to detach the nucleons from the nucleus at an infinite distance.

3.

Radioactivity

  • Radioactivity is the process by virtue of which a heavy element disintegrates itself without being forced by any external agent to do so.

  • According to laws of radioactive disintegration, the number of atoms disintegrating per second at any instant is directly proportional to the number of radioactive atoms actually present in the sample at that instant.

dNdtN

  • The half life of a radioactive element is the amount of time it takes for half of the atoms present in the sample to decay.

  • Average life time of the element is obtained by calculating the total life time of all the atoms of the element and dividing it by the total number of atoms present initially in the sample of the element

4.

Alpha, beta and Gamma decay

  • Alpha decay is the phenomenon of emission of an alpha particle from a radioactive nucleus. Ex:

U92238Th90234+He24

  • Beta decay  is the phenomenon of emission of an electron from a radioactive nucleus. Ex:

Th90234Pa91234+e10

  • Gamma decay is the phenomenon of emission of gamma ray photons from a radioactive nucleus. Ex:

Ni2860Ni2760+Eγ

5.

Nuclear fission and fusion

  • Nuclear fission is the process of splitting a heavy nucleus (usually A>230) into two or more lighter nuclei.

  • Nuclear fusion is the process by which two or more lighter nuclei combine to produce a single heavy nucleus. 


List of Important Formulae of Nuclei

Sl. No

Name of Concept

Formula

1.

Nuclear size and density

The radius of the nucleus is given by R=R0A1/3. Where, R0 = 1.3 fermi and A = mass number. 


Volume of Nucleus is given by 43πR0(A1/3)3

2.

Law of Radioactive Decay  

N=N0eλt

Where, N = number of nuclei remaining at time, t

N0= Number of nuclei at time, t=0 and 𝜆 = decay constant


Half life (T1/2) = 0.693λ


Mean/ Average life (Tav) = 1λ

3.

Mass energy relation and nuclear binding energy

Mass energy relation is given as,

E=mc2


Binding energy of the nucleus,

B.E.=[ZmH+(AZ)mnm(XZA)]c2

Here, Z= charge number, A= mass number, mn = mass of the proton, mn = mass of the neutron and mn = mass of nucleus XZA.


Solved Examples of Nuclei

  1. The most abundant isotope of helium is the He24 nucleus whose mass is 6.6447×1027 kg. For this nucleus, find 

(a) the mass defect

(b) the binding energy. 

Sol:

The symbol He24 indicates that the helium nucleus contains 2 protons and 2 neutrons (N = 4-2 = 2). To obtain mass defect Δm, we first determine the sum of masses of protons and neutrons. Then, we subtract this sum from the mass of the nucleus. 

(a) Now, sum of masses of protons and neutrons = 2(Mass of a proton) + 2 (mass of a neutron) = 2(1.6726×1027)+2(1.6749×1027) = 6.6950×1027 kg

Now, 

Mass defect (Δm) = Mass of nucleus - sum of masses of protons and neutrons

Δm = 6.6950×10276.6447×1027 kg

Δm = 0.0503×1027 kg

Therefore, the mass defect is Δm = 0.0503×1027 kg

(b) Now, binding energy is given by

ΔEBE = (Δm)c2 =(0.0503×1027)(3×108)2 = 4.53×1012 J

Or we can write in  eV = 4.53×10121.6×1019eV 

So, binding energy in eV is 28.3 eV. 

Key point: To obtain mass defect, always first find the sum of mass of protons and neutrons and subtract it by the mass of the nucleus. 


  1. The mean lives of an unstable nucleus in two different decay processes are 1620 yr and 405 yr, respectively. Find out the time during which three-fourth of a sample will decay.

Sol:

Given, 

Mean life of Process- 1 (t1) = 1620 yr, 

Mean life of Process- 2 (t2) = 405 yr,

Let decay constants of process-1 and process- 2 be λ1 and λ2, respectively. Then, 

λ1=1t1 

λ2=1t2

If the effective decay constant is λ, then

λN = λ1N + λ2

λ = λ1 + λ2

λ=1t1+1t2

λ=11620+1405 year-1

λ=1324 year-1

Now, when three- fourth of the sample will decay. The sample remaining will be one- fourth of the total sample. If the initial sample was N0, then final sample will have N0/4, 

So, N04=N0eλt

Applying logarithms on both the sides, we get, 

λt=ln14 = -1.386

t = 449 yr

Therefore, the time during which three-fourth of a sample will decay will be 449 yr. 

Key point: We need to modify the formula according to the given data. 


Previous Year Questions from Nuclei

  1. The half life of a radioactive nuclide is 100 hrs. The fraction of original activity that will remain after 150 h would be: (NEET 2021)

    1. 12

    2. 122

    3. 23

    4. 232

Sol:

Given,

Half life (t1/2) = 100 hrs, 

At t = 150 hrs, 

A = A02t/t1/2

Where, A = remaining activity of nuclide after time t and A0 = original activity of nuclide,

AA0=2t/t1/2 = 2150/100 = 23/2

So, the fraction of activity that will remain after 150 h will be 23/2 or 122

Therefore, option- (b) is the right answer.

Trick: Most questions repeat on the basis of a similar formula. 


  1. There are 1010 radioactive nuclei in a given radioactive element, its half-life time is 1 minute. How many nuclei will remain after 30 seconds? (Take, 2=1.414) (NEET 2021)

a. 7×109

b. 2×109

c. 4×1010

d. 105

Sol:

Given that, 

Original number of nuclei, No=1010

Half- life time, t½=60s

To find: Number of nuclei remain after time (t = 30 seconds) i.e, N.

To solve this problem we have to use the concept of half life and also the relation of the number of nuclei decayed to the original number of nuclei present in the sample of a radioactive element.

Now using the concept of half live, we can write the relation between the number of nuclei decayed (N) to the original number of nuclei(No) as,

NNo=(12)t/t1/2

Now after putting the values of the quantities in the above relation, we get;

N1010=(12)30/60

N1010=(12)1/2

N=101027×109

Hence, the number of nuclei that remain after 30 seconds is 7×109

Therefore, option a is correct.

Trick: The application of the half life concept and the relation between the number of nuclei decayed to the original number of nuclei in a sample is important to solve this problem.


Practice Questions

  1. The half-lives of radioisotopes P32 and P33 are 14 days and 25 days respectively. These radioisotopes are mixed in the ratio of 4 : 1 of their atoms. If the initial activity of the mixed sample is 3.0 mCi, find the activity of the mixed isotopes after 60 years.(Ans: 0.205 mCi)

  2. A stable nuclei C is formed from two radioactive nuclei A and B with decay constant of 𝜆1 and 𝜆2 respectively. Initially, the number of nuclei of A is N0 and that of B is zero. Nuclei B are produced at a constant rate of P. Find the number of the nuclei of C after time t (Ans:Nc=N0(1eλ1t)+Pt+eλ2t1λ2)


Conclusion

In this article we have discussed the Nuclei chapter with respect to the NEET exam. In this article we have provided solved examples, previous year questions, important formulae list, etc..

See More
NEET 2024 Important Dates

NEET 2024 Important Dates

View All Dates
NEET 2024 exam date and revised schedule have been announced by the NTA. NEET 2024 will now be conducted on 5 May 2024, and the exam registration starts on 9 February 2024 and closes on 9 March 2024. You can check the complete schedule on our site. Furthermore, you can check NEET 2024 dates for application, admit card, exam, answer key, result, counselling, etc along with other relevant information.
See More
View All Dates
NEET Information

NEET Information

Application Form
Eligibility Criteria
Reservation Policy
Admit Card
NTA has announced the NEET 2024 application form release date on the official website https://neet.nta.nic.in/. The NEET 2024 Application Form is available on the official website for online registration from 9 February 2024 to 9 March 2024. Besides the NEET 2024 application form release date, learn about the application process, steps to fill out the form, how to submit it, the exam date sheet, etc online. Check our website for more details.
NEET 2024 applicants should be aware of the eligibility criteria before applying for the exam. NTA has released all the relevant information on the official website, i.e. https://neet.nta.nic.in/. NEET 2024 aspirants should have passed Class 12th or any other equivalent qualifying examination in 2023, or 2022, or students appearing in the Class 12th final exam in 2024 can also apply. For further details, visit our website.
As per the union government’s norms, NTA has released the NEET 2024 reservation criteria for different candidates’ categories (SC/ST/OBC/PwD), All India Quota, State Government Quota, Deemed Universities, and more. You can check more details on the Vedantu website.
NEET 2024 Admit Card will be released by the NTA in the 4th week of April 2024. Candidates can download the NEET admit card and hall ticket from the NEET official website i.e. https://neet.nta.nic.in/. For more details on the NEET admit card 2024, candidates can check Vedantu's official website.
NEET 2024 Study Material

NEET 2024 Study Material

View NEET Syllabus in Detail
Download full syllabus
Download full syllabus
View NEET Syllabus in Detail
NEET 2024 Study Material

NEET 2024 Study Material

View all study material for NEET
All
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
See All
NEET Question Papers

NEET Question Papers

NEET 2024 Book Solutions and PDF Download

NEET 2024 Book Solutions and PDF Download

View all NEET Important Books
Biology
NCERT Book for Class 12 Biology
Physics
NCERT Book for Class 12 Physics
Chemistry
NCERT Book for Class 12 Chemistry
Physics
H. C. Verma Solutions
See All
NEET 2024 Mock Tests

NEET 2024 Mock Tests

View all mock tests
NEET 2024 free online mock test series for exam preparation are available on the Vedantu website for free download. Practising these mock test papers of Physics, Chemistry and Biology prepared by expert teachers at Vedantu will help you to boost your confidence to face the NEET 2024 examination without any worries. The NEET test series for Physics, Chemistry and Biology that is based on the latest syllabus of NEET and also the Previous Year Question Papers.
See More
NEET 2024 Cut Off

NEET 2024 Cut Off

NEET Cut Off
NTA is responsible for the release of the NEET 2024 cut off score. The qualifying percentile score might remain the same for different categories. According to the latest trends, the expected cut-off mark for NEET 2024 is 50% for general category candidates, 45% for physically challenged candidates, and 40% for candidates from reserved categories. For the general category, NEET qualifying marks for 2024 ranged from 715-117 general category, while for OBC/SC/ST categories, they ranged from 116-93 for OBC, 116-93 for SC and 116-93 for ST category.
See More
NEET 2024 Results

NEET 2024 Results

The NEET 2024 result will be published by NTA on https://neet.nta.nic.in/ in the form of a scorecard on 14 June 2024. The scorecard will include the roll number, application number, candidate's personal details, and the percentile, marks, and rank of the candidate. Only those candidates who achieve the NEET cut-off will be considered qualified for the exam.
See More
Rank List
Counselling
Marks and Rank
NEET 2024 state rank lists will be released by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for admissions to the 85% state quota and to all seats in private medical and dental colleges. NEET 2024 state rank lists are based on the marks obtained in medical entrance exams. Candidates can check the NEET 2024 state rank list on the official website or our site.
The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will conduct NEET 2024 counselling at www.mcc.nic.in. There will be two rounds of counselling for admission under 15% All India Quota (AIQ), deemed and central universities, AIIMS, JIPMER, ESIC, and AFMC. A mop-up round of NEET counselling will be conducted excluding 15% AIQ seats, while the dates of NEET counselling for 85% state quota seats will be announced by the respective state authorities.
As per the union government’s norms, NTA has released the NEET 2024 reservation criteria for different candidates’ categories (SC/ST/OBC/PwD), All India Quota, State Government Quota, Deemed Universities, and more. Previously, the Indian Government has provided NEET reservations to OBC (27%) and EWS (10%) candidates under All India Quota (AIQ). You can check more details on the Vedantu website.
NEET 2024 Top Colleges

NEET 2024 Top Colleges

View all NEET 2024 Top Colleges
Want to know which Engineering colleges in India accept the NEET 2024 scores for admission to Engineering? Find the list of Engineering colleges accepting NEET scores in India, compiled by Vedantu. 1990 Colleges are accepting NEET Score. It includes 706 Medical, 323 Dental, 914 AYUSH, and 47 BVSc & AH colleges. Also find more details on Fees, Ranking, Admission, and Placement.
See More
question-image

FAQs on NEET Important Chapter - Nuclei

FAQ

1. What is the weightage of the motion in a plane in NEET?

Nearly 1-2 questions arise in the exam from this chapter.

2. What are the key points that need to be practiced for solving questions from Nuclei?

Students should practice numericals based on radioactivity and binding energy

3. Are previous year questions enough for NEET?

To score 640+ in NEET, NCERT (both 11th and 12th) and previous year NEET Mains papers are sufficient. Solving previous 10-year NEET examinations offers us a tremendous advantage because 6-7 questions with the identical alternatives are guaranteed to be repeated every year.