- #1
Eloc Jcg
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Homework Statement
A plutonium-239 nucleus, initially at rest, undergoes alpha decay to produce a uranium-235 nucleus. The uranium-235 nucleus has a mass of 3.90x10^-25 kg, & moves away from the location of the decay with a speed of 2.62x10^5 m/s. Determine the minum electric potential difference that is required to bring the alpha particle to rest.
Homework Equations
V = ? = E/q
E = mc^2
m = mparent - mproducts
q = elementry charge x #protons
The Attempt at a Solution
m = 239.052156u - 235.0439299u - 4.002603u = -0.9943769u
E = -0.9943769u x 3x10^8m/s = 8.9493921x10^16 eV
q = 1.6x10^19C x 92protons = 1.472x10^-17 C
V = 8.9493921x10^16eV / 1.472x10^-17C = 6.08 x 10^33 V
Am I way off here in my approach to solving this problem? Or should this problem be solved using the Ek = 1/2mv^2 formula? Any help is appreciated as this is my last assignment I am needing to do, which assuming I pass my final, I will be done high school. I've been up all night working on this problem, & flipping through my high school physics textbook & my college electronics textbook, but I am not sure what to expect as my final answer.
Thanks.