Nuclear models

There are two basic types of simple nuclear models.

• An individual particle model with nucleons in discrete energy states.  Example:  Shell Model
• A collective model with no individual particle states:  Example:  Liquid Drop Model

Shell model:

The nuclear shell model explains the existence of "magic numbers".  Nuclei with magic neutron number N = 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, 126 or magic proton number Z = 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82 have a larger binding energy per nucleon than neighboring nuclei, and when N and Z are both magic the binding energy per nucleon is especially large.