First Readings and Problems.
Reading:
|
For Friday, September 2, read sections 1.1 - 1.4 of Das & Ferbel. |
|
For Wednesday, September 7, finish reading Chapter 1 of Das & Ferbel. |
|
For Friday, September 9, read sections 2.1 and 2.2 of Das & Ferbel. |
Homework Problems:
[1] In the period before the discovery of the neutron, many people thought that the nucleus consisted of protons and electrons, with the atomic number equal to the excess number of protons. Beta decay seemed to support this idea - after all, electrons come popping out; doesn't this imply that there were electrons inside? Use the position-momentum uncertainty relation DxDp ³ hbar to estimate the minimum momentum of an electron confined to a nucleus (radius around 1 Fermi). From the relativistic energy-momentum relation, determine the corresponding energy. For comparison, the highest energy electron emitted in the beta decay of tritium has an energy of approximately 17 KeV. So, what do you think of the possibility of the electron having been in the tritium nucleus the entire time?
[2] Problem 1.1, p. 30, Das & Ferbel.
[3] Problem 1.4, p. 30, Das & Ferbel.
[4] Problem 1.6, p. 31, Das & Ferbel.
[5] Problem 1.7, p. 31, Das & Ferbel.
[6] Problem 1.10, p. 31, Das & Ferbel.
[7] The h particle is unstable. (a) A bit over 32% of the time, the h particle decays into three p0 particles. Determine the maximum energy that one of the pions in this decay can have. (b) Less commonly (a bit under 5% of the time), the h will decay to a p+, a p-, and a g. Determine the maximum energy that the g can have in this decay.
[8] Problem 2.2, p. 50, Das & Ferbel.
[9] Problem 2.5, p. 51, Das & Ferbel.
[10] Problem 2.6, p. 51, Das & Ferbel.