Question

Explain how nuclear size of an atom is estimated.

Answer 1

1. Size of a nucleus depends on number of nucleons present in it.
2. The size of an atom is decided by the sizes of the orbits of the electrons in the atom.
3. Larger the number of electrons in an atom, higher are the orbits occupied by them and larger is the size of the atom.
4. Similarly, all nuclei do not have the same size.
5. The size of a nucleus depends on the number of nucleons present in it, i.e., on its atomic number A.
6. A nucleus of mass number A has radius of R = `R_0A^(1/3)` where R₀ is constant and has the value of 1.2 x 10^-15m.