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ehrenfest
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Homework Statement
Particles are scattered (classically) from a paraboloid shape. The surface is given by the relation:
[tex] z = a \left(\frac{y^2+x^2}{R^2}-1 \right)[/tex]
for x^2 +y^2 leq R^2 where a and R are constants. The particle is incident from z = -infinity with impact parameter s.
Show that there a minimum angle below which there is no scattering occurs given by
[tex] tan(\theta_{min}/2) = R/2a [/tex]
where theta is the scattering angle.
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
I found [itex]\tan(\theta/2) = R^2/2sa[/itex]. The problem implies that s cannot be greater than 1, which I fail to understand.
I am not sure why the restriction "x^2 +y^2 leq R^2" was included. Maybe that has something to do with this...
EDIT: I got it! x^2 +y^2 leq R^2 effectively cuts off the paraboloid at the x-y plane. The cross-section of the paraboloid on the x-y plane is the circle x^2+y^2 = R^2. Therefore the impact paramater cannnot be greater than R, which implies that [itex]\tan(\theta/2) \geq R/2a[/itex] as desired.
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