PHYSICS 244 . 
EXPERIMENT #6
 

 

Q.1.     Determine the energy released in the decay.  Where does the
energy come from?

 

Q.2.     Derive Eqn. (4) from Eqn. (3).  Where did the electron rest
mass go?  

 

Q.3.     Verify by numerical calculation the statement that the
20482Pb daughter can be treated non-relativistically.  
Use the criterion that β=v/c=pc/Etot< 0.001 
is non-relativistic.  

 

Q.4.     Derive Eqn. (8), beginning from Eqn. (5) and including all
required steps.  What are the assumptions in Eqns. (5&6)?  

 

Q.5.     Find the largest possible value for the kinetic energy of the
20482Pb  nucleus, and verify that this quantity is 
negligible in comparison with the beta and neutrino kinetic energies.  

 

Q.6.     Determine an expression for the maximum beta kinetic energy, Ke max,
in terms of the maximum momentum, pe max, and the rest-mass energy  mec2.
Did you use the relativistic energy equation in your calculation?  

 

Q.7.     Starting from Newton's second law, the criterion for uniform
circular motion and the Lorentz force law, derive Eqn. (12). 

 

Q.8.     Why will the device shown in Fig. 6 work for beta rays, but
not for gamma rays (photons)?