How Is the Mass of the Target Nucleus Calculated in an Elastic Collision?

AI Thread Summary
In the discussion on calculating the mass of a target nucleus in an elastic collision, a proton with a mass of 1 u collides with an unknown nucleus. The proton's initial speed is 2.40×10^6 m/s, and after the collision, its speed decreases by 25%, while the target nucleus gains a speed of 3.50×10^5 m/s. The user initially applied the conservation of momentum equation but made an error by not accounting for the direction of the proton's final velocity. After correcting the sign in the equation, the user successfully determined the mass of the target nucleus. The final mass calculated is consistent with the principles of elastic collisions.
Emendez3
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
A proton (mass 1 u) is shot toward an unknown target nucleus at a speed of 2.40×10^6 m/s. The proton rebounds with its speed reduced by 25% while the target nucleus acquires a speed of 3.50×10^5 m/s.

What is the mass, in atomic mass units, of the target nucleus?




I tried:
Mp*Vip+Mn*Vin=Mp*Vfp+Mn*Vfn

where Mp= Mass proton=1
Vip= intial proton velocity=2.4E6
Mn= Mass nucleus=unknown
Vin=Initial Velocity of nucleus=0
Vfp= Final velocity proton=.75(2.4E6)
Vfn=final velocity nucleus= 3.5E5


i get 1.71u but its wrong
 
Physics news on Phys.org
The final proton velocity has a minus sign
 
borgwal said:
The final proton velocity has a minus sign

Thank you very much got the answer
 
Thread 'Struggling to make relation between elastic force and height'

Thread 'Struggling to make relation between elastic force and height'

Hello guys this is what I tried so far. I used the UTS to calculate the force it needs when the rope tears. My idea was to make a relationship/ function that would give me the force depending on height. Yeah i couldnt find a way to solve it. I also thought about how I could use hooks law (how it was given to me in my script) with the thought of instead of having two part of a rope id have one singular rope from the middle to the top where I could find the difference in height. But the...
View full post »
Thread 'Voltmeter readings for this circuit with switches'

Thread 'Voltmeter readings for this circuit with switches'

TL;DR Summary: I would like to know the voltmeter readings on the two resistors separately in the picture in the following cases , When one of the keys is closed When both of them are opened (Knowing that the battery has negligible internal resistance) My thoughts for the first case , one of them must be 12 volt while the other is 0 The second case we'll I think both voltmeter readings should be 12 volt since they are both parallel to the battery and they involve the key within what the...
View full post »

Similar threads

How Do You Solve for Final Velocities in Elastic Collisions?
Replies
20
Views
2K
Physics Help with elastic collision
Replies
5
Views
2K
A Nuclear Reaction: Determining the velocity of neutrons
Replies
3
Views
2K
Kinetic energy and momentum in an elastic collision
Replies
22
Views
4K
Momentum: why don't the two carts become one?
Replies
32
Views
1K
Calculate Mass & Velocity of Unknown Element in Proton Collision
Replies
1
Views
5K
Two-Dimensional Elastic Collision of Equal Masses
Replies
9
Views
3K
Final velocities of two objects in a 2D elastic collision
Replies
3
Views
2K
1-D elastic collision between proton and nucleus
Replies
4
Views
2K
Finding recoil velocity of an object during a collision
Replies
9
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top