Nuclear Effect versus Atomic Effect

[Fusillade]

I'm trying to clarify the terms "nuclear effect" and "atomic effect".

Due to the synonymous use of nuclear and atomic in the English language, the two are often viewed as being the same (as they were when I was in school); however during my current research, I learned that there is a difference such that atomic physics deals with the study of the atom including its nucleus and electrons and nuclear physics deals with the study of only the atomic nuclei.

As a result, can I use those definitions to determine if something is classified as a nuclear effect or an atomic effect?

For instance, is the emission of an alpha particle a nuclear effect or an atomic effect? The emission occurs at the nucleus but wouldn't you need to view the element as a whole to fully understand the effects?

 

[Bob_for_short]

I'm trying to clarify the terms "nuclear effect" and "atomic effect".

Due to the synonymous use of nuclear and atomic in the English language, the two are often viewed as being the same (as they were when I was in school); however during my current research, I learned that there is a difference such that atomic physics deals with the study of the atom including its nucleus and electrons and nuclear physics deals with the study of only the atomic nuclei.

As a result, can I use those definitions to determine if something is classified as a nuclear effect or an atomic effect?

For instance, is the emission of an alpha particle a nuclear effect or an atomic effect? The emission occurs at the nucleus but wouldn't you need to view the element as a whole to fully understand the effects?

It depends on the alpha decay effect you are interested in. If it is only the alpha decay rate, you can forget about the atomic electrons. If you calculate the ionisation probability of a decayed atom, you need the whole atom description.
There are also "nuclear" events occurring only in presence of atomic electrons, like K-capture (the lowest orbit electron is captured with the nucleus proton to become a neutron).

Bob.

 

[Fusillade]

It depends on the alpha decay effect you are interested in. If it is only the alpha decay rate, you can forget about the atomic electrons. If you calculate the ionisation probability of a decayed atom, you need the whole atom description.
There are also "nuclear" events occurring only in presence of atomic electrons, like K-capture (the lowest orbit electron is captured with the nucleus proton to become a neutron).

Bob.

Can't K-capture be the result of an atoms relationship with other atoms resulting in an atomic effect?

If the energy difference between the parent atom and the daughter atom is less than 1.022 MeV, positron emission is forbidden and electron capture is the sole decay mode. For example, Rubidium-83 will decay to Krypton-83 solely by electron capture (the energy difference is about 0.9 MeV).

How can I define "nuclear effect" and "atomic effect" in a manner in which will eliminate any confusion as to the difference between the two?

 

[kashiark]

nuclear effect - dealing ONLY with the nucleus(note that it doesn't deal with ORBITING electrons)
atomic effect - dealing with the ENTIRE atom both nuclei and electrons
in the quote from wikipedia, electron capture is considered an atomic effect and positron/electron emission(beta decay) is considered a nuclear effect