What's Next?

What's Next

You have implemented the foundational equations of nuclear physics. Here are natural next steps:

• Reactor Physics — Neutron transport, criticality calculations, and thermal reactor design use the cross-section and moderation concepts from this course.
• Astrophysical Nucleosynthesis — The CNO cycle and pp chain power stars using the same Q-value and cross-section formulas you built.
• Particle Physics — Quarks, gluons, and the Standard Model underlie the nuclear force itself. The strong interaction that binds nucleons is a residual effect of QCD.
• Medical Physics — PET scans use positron annihilation (Q-value), radiation therapy uses dose calculations, and nuclear medicine uses radioactive tracers with the decay law.

Further Reading

• Nuclear Physics by Krane — The standard undergraduate text, comprehensive and accessible.
• Introductory Nuclear Physics by Wong — Strong on the shell model, decay modes, and reactions.
• Nuclear and Particle Physics by Williams — Covers both nuclear and particle physics in one volume.
• MIT OpenCourseWare 22.101 — Applied nuclear physics, full lecture notes and problem sets.