Nucleära

Nucleära is an adjective used in several languages to denote relations to the nucleus, most often the atomic nucleus. In science, it refers to the properties of nuclei, the protons and neutrons that reside at the center of atoms, and the forces that bind them.

Nuclear physics studies binding energy, energy levels, stability, and reactions that involve the nucleus. Common phenomena include radioactive decay (alpha, beta, gamma) and nuclear reactions such as fission and fusion. Nuclear processes also occur in astrophysics, notably stellar nucleosynthesis, where heavier elements are built from lighter ones inside stars.

Applications include electricity generation in nuclear reactors based on fission; medical uses of radioactive isotopes for diagnostics and therapy; industrial radiography and imaging; and fundamental research at particle accelerators that involve nuclear targets.

Safety and policy: Radiological protection, waste management, and safeguards are central to the field. Proliferation concerns have led to international treaties and regulatory frameworks aimed at controlling the production and handling of fissile materials and radioactive sources.

History: The study of radioactivity and nuclear properties emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to breakthroughs in energy, medicine, and science, culminating in the development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons in the mid-20th century.