Description

This is a 1958 study of the scattering of particles which occurs when atomic nuclei collide. It provides one of the main lines of attack in exploring the forces within the nuclei themselves. Using the particle accelerators which were then available, the authors design experiments in which the less complex particles collide under controlled conditions, yielding quantitative data from which information about nuclear forces can be deduced. This book describes the physics of nuclear scattering, including the experimental results and their interpretation in terms of nuclear forces and nuclear structure. On the experimental side, standard equipment has been discussed only in the special context of scattering technique. The theoretical discussion assumes a general acquaintance with quantum mechanics and with elementary scattering formulae encountered elsewhere in relation to the scattering of electrons by atoms.