(A) Liquid Drop Model of Nucleus

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Institute for NET/JRF, GATE, IIT‐JAM, M.Sc. Entrance, JEST, TIFR and GRE in Physics

(a) Liquid Drop Model of Nucleus (Semi-Empirical Mass Formula or Weizsacker
Formula)
Using semi-empirical approach (based on experimental results) Weizsacker showed that it is
possible to achieve a quantitative and more basic understanding of binding energies of nuclei.
Assumptions
(i) Nucleus is modeled on a drop of liquid.
(ii) The nuclear interaction between protons and neutrons, between protons and protons, and
between neutron and neutrons are identical
A
(iii) N  Z 
2
(iv) Nuclear forces are saturated.
Deduction
(i) Volume Energy term  BV 
In a liquid drop, in which each molecule interacts only with its neighbors and number of
neighboring molecules is independent of overall size of the liquid drop, the binding energy of
liquid drop is B  LM m A where L = latent heat of liquid, M m = mass of each molecule, A 
number of molecules.
In analogy to the liquid drop, for nuclei we expect a volume term in the expression for binding
energy.
Volume energy term, BV  aV A , where aV is volume coefficient (  14.1MeV ) and A is mass
number.
(ii) Surface Energy Term  Bs 
At the surface of the nucleus, there are nucleons which are not surrounded from all sides;
consequently these surface nucleons are not bound as tightly as the nucleons in the interior and
hence its binding energy is less. The larger the nucleus, the smaller the proportion of nucleons at
the surface.
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Surface area of the nucleus = 4 R  4 R0 A .
2 2 2/3
Hence number of nucleons with fewer than maximum number of neighbor

is proportional to A2 / 3 . So reducing the binding energy by introducing the
term
Bs   as A2 / 3
where as is surface energy coefficient (  13.0 MeV ).

It is most significant for lighter nuclei since a greater fraction of their nucleons are on the surface.
Because natural systems always tend to evolve toward configurations of minimum potential
energy, nuclei tend toward configurations of maximum binding energy. Hence a nucleus should
exhibit the same surface-tension effects as a liquid drop, and in the absence of other effects it
should be spherical, since a sphere has the least surface area for a given volume.
(iii) Coulomb Energy term  Bc 
The electric repulsion between each pair of proton in a nucleus also contributes towards
decreasing its binding energy. The potential energy of protons ‘ r ’ apart is equal to
e2
V .
4 o r
Z ( Z  1) Z ( Z  1)
Since there are pair of protons, the coulomb energy Bc  V,
2 2
e 2 Z ( Z  1)  1 
Bc   
4 o 2  r av.
1 1
Now,   is average value of   , averaged over all proton pairs. If the protons are uniformly
 r  av. r
1 1 1 Z ( Z  1)
distributed     2 , thus Bc   ac
 r  av. R A 3 A1/ 3
Where ac is Coulomb energy coefficient (  0.595 MeV )

The coulomb energy is negative because it arises from an effect that opposes nuclear stability. So,
Z ( Z  1)
the total Binding energy is B  Bv  Bs  Bc  av A  as A2 / 3  ac .
A1/ 3
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(iv) Corrections to the Formula
The above binding energy formula can be improved by taking into account two effects that do
not fit into the simple liquid drop model but which make sense in terms of a model that provides
for nuclear energy levels. The above result was improved by including two effects
(a)Asymmetry Effect  Ba 
Asymmetry Energy Term, Ba depends on the neutron excess  N  Z  and decreases the nuclear
binding energy. So far, we have neglected the quantization of energy states of individual
nucleons in the nucleus and the application of the Pauli Exclusion Principle.
(N-Z) excess Neutron

neutrons Proton
Z-protons occupying
deepest levels
If we put Z protons and N neutrons into the nuclear energy shells, the lowest Z energy levels
are filled first. By Pauli Exclusion Principle, the excess N  Z neutrons must go into
previously unoccupied quantum states since the first Z quantum states are already filled up with
protons and neutrons.
These  N  Z  excess neutrons are occupying higher energy quantum states and are consequently
less tightly bound than the first 2Z nucleons which occupy the deepest lying energy levels. Thus
neutron asymmetry gives rise to a disruptive term in nuclear binding energy. Excess energy per
N Z
nucleon  .
A
Since the total number of excess neutrons is  N  Z  , the total deficit in nuclear binding energy
is proportional to product of these

( N  Z )2 ( A  2Z )2
 Ba   aa   aa ,
A A
where aa is asymmetric energy coefficient (19.0 MeV ).
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(b) Pairing Effect
Since all the previous terms have involved a smooth variation of B whenever Z or N changes
and does not account for the kinks which show an evidence for favored pairing.
In liquid drop model we have omitted the intrinsic spin of the nucleons and shell effects. This is
corrected by adding a pairing energy term BP to the nuclear binding energy.
0 for odd-even or even-odd

ap 
B p   , 0  , a p  negative for odd-odd and a p  33.5 MeV
A3/ 4 positive for even-even

The final expression for binding energy is
Z ( Z  1) ( A  2Z )2 a
B  av A  as A2 / 3  ac 1/ 3
 aa  , 0  3/p 4
A A A
Now, nuclear mass can be written as
M ( Z , A)  AM N  Z ( M N  M P )  B ( M & B in mass units)

c2

M ( Z , A)  AM N  Z ( M N  M P )   av A  as A  ac
2/3 Z ( Z  1)

 A  2Z )2 
  

3/ 4  1
aa , 0 a p A  2
A1/ 3 A c
 
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fiziks

Hence number of nucleons with fewer than maximum number of neighbor

where as is surface energy coefficient (  13.0 MeV ).

Where ac is Coulomb energy coefficient (  0.595 MeV )

(N-Z) excess Neutron

is proportional to product of these

0 for odd-even or even-odd

M ( Z , A)  AM N  Z ( M N  M P )  B ( M & B in mass units)

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