1

Equations and Fundamental constants

Equations of motion

Non-relativistic particles:
(E<0.02Erest or v<0.20c)

1 p  mrest v h h
Ekinetic  mrest v 2  
2 p 2mrest E kinetic

Relativistic particles:
(E>0.02Erest or v>0.20c)
  hc
  1 
Ekinetic  mrest c 2 
1
 1 p 2
Etotal  E rest
2 2
Etotal  Erest
2

 v2  c
 1 2 
 c 

mrest
m
2 Etotal  Erest  Ekinetic E  mc 2
1 v
c2

Mass-less photons:
Ekinetic hc
P 
c Ekinetic
 2

Radioactive decay

Units:
1 Curie (Ci) = 3.7x1010 decay/sec
1 Becquerel (Bq) = 1 decay/sec
0.693
t1/ 2 
 N (t )  N 0 e t 
R


1  e  t 
 t
 (t )  N (t )   0 e  R (1  e  t )

A B C

N A0  A
N B (t )  N B0 e B t 
B   A
e   At
 e B t 

 A B   t
 B (t )   B e  t 
0
B 0

B   A
 e  e  A Bt


Neutron/nucleus scattering:

Number of collisions per second  INAx

(N = atom density (atoms/cm3))

Units of 
1 barn = 1b =1x10-24 cm2

1/v scattering:
1 1
  
vneutron Eneutron
 3

 = N
 total   scattering   absorption

 scattering   elastic   inelastic

 absorption   radiative capture   charged particle production   fission

1

I ( x )  I 0 e  total x  total

Total neutron/nuclei interaction rate, Ftotal:

Ftotal   total  I A  I B  I C    total 

Neutron Elastic Scattering:

p’ E
 
2

1 p
E' 
 A  1 2
cos 1  A2  sin 2 1

2 2
1
 A 1   1    E0
P  E' 
'
Emin  E
 A 1 2

P 2  p 2   p '  2 pp ' cos 1 

2

N
E final 1  
 
E0  2 
 4

Empirical expressions for fission product decay rates:

1.03x10 16  Ci 
Rate of emission of -rays   
t 1.2  fission 

5.14 x10 17  Ci  t is in days

Rate of emission of -rays   
t 1.2  fission 
1.03x10 16  Ci 
Fission product activity   
t 1.2  fission 

R  2.7 x10 21 P  fissions / day 

P is in MW


 1.4 x106 P t 0.2   t  T 
0.2
 (Ci)
Fission product activity

T = time (days) in the reactor (reactor operating).

t = time (days) out of the reactor (reactor shutdown).
P= power (MW)
5
6
 7

Distribution of energy amongst products resulting from the

fission of a 235U nucleus.

Fission fragments 168 MeV

Fission-product decay
-rays 8 MeV
-rays 7 MeV
neutrinos 12 Mev
Prompt -rays 7 MeV
Fission neutrons 5 MeV
(kinetic energy)
Total 207 MeV