
Nuclear physics began long before the identification of fundamental particles with J J Thomson's discovery of the electron at the end of the 19th century which implied the existence of a positive charge in the atom to make it neutral In this Very Short Introduction Frank Close gives an account of how this area of physics has progressed including the recognition of how heavy nuclei are built up in the cores of stars & in supernovae the identification of quarks & gluons & the development of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) Exploring key concepts such as the stability of different configurations of protons & neutrons in nuclei Frank Close shows how nuclear physics brings the physics of the stars to Earth & provides us with important applications particularly in medicine ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable