Purchase Solution

Kinetic energy ofneutron and nucleus

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

A neutron in a nuclear reactor makes an elastic head-on collision with the nucleus of a uranium atom initially at rest.
(a) What fraction of the neutron's kinetic energy is transferred to the uranium nucleus? (The mass of the uranium nucleus is about 238 times the mass of the neutron.)

(b) If the initial kinetic energy of the neutron is 1.6 10^13 J, find its final kinetic energy and the kinetic energy of the uranium nucleus after the collision.
J (neutron)
J (carbon nucleus)

Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary

The solution calculates the fraction of the neutron's kinetic energy that is transferred to the uranium nucleus when a neutron in a nuclear reactor makes an elastic head-on collision with the nucleus of a uranium atom initially at rest. It also calculates the final kinetic energy of the neutron and the kinetic energy of the uranium nucleus after the collision.

Solution Preview

Let
m1= mass of neutron
m2= mass of uraniun nucleus
v1i= initial velocity of neutron
v1f= final velocity of neutron
v2i = initial velocity of uranium nucleus
v2f = final velocity of uranium nucleus

Since the collision is elastic , Kinetic energy before the collision and after the collision are the same

From the conservation of momentum
m1v1i + m2v2i = m1v1f + m2v2f
From the conservation of Kinetic ...

Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
Variables in Science Experiments

How well do you understand variables? Test your knowledge of independent (manipulated), dependent (responding), and controlled variables with this 10 question quiz.

Intro to the Physics Waves

Some short-answer questions involving the basic vocabulary of string, sound, and water waves.

Classical Mechanics

This quiz is designed to test and improve your knowledge on Classical Mechanics.

Introduction to Nanotechnology/Nanomaterials

This quiz is for any area of science. Test yourself to see what knowledge of nanotechnology you have. This content will also make you familiar with basic concepts of nanotechnology.

The Moon

Test your knowledge of moon phases and movement.

View More Free Quizzes
Related BrainMass Solutions

  • Energy of Particles in the Nucleus

    iii) Is the potential energy calculated in ii) sufficient to bind the electron of the kinetic energy calculated in i)? "An introduction to Quantum Physics" by French and Taylor. See the attached file for the full solution.

  • Elastic Collision in Reactors

    (b) If the initial kinetic energy of the neutron is 1MeV = 1.6*10^(-13)J, find its final kinetic energy and the kinetic energy of the carbon nucleus after the collision. (The mass of the carbon nucleus is about 12 times the mass of the neutron.)

  • Detailed Explanation to Kinetic Energy

    (b) If the initial kinetic energy of the neutron is 1.6 10-13 J, find its final kinetic energy and the kinetic energy of the uranium nucleus after the collision.

  • Energy Release Problem

    In beta decay a neutron turns to proton and the emitted particles are an electron and a neutrino. The total initial mass is the mass of the nucleus , and the final mass is the sum of the mass of the daughter nucleus and the mass of electron .

  • Mechanics: Collision, momentum, energy, spring, projectile.

    If the collision is completely inelastic so the neutron and boron nucleus stick together, what is the final kinetic energy of the system expressed as a fraction of the original kinetic energy K sub 0 b.

  • Collision: Loss of energy when a proton collides a nucleus.

    Now the fraction of kinetic energy given to the nucleus is given by the kinetic energy of nucleus after collision over the kinetic energy of incident proton which is given by From equation (4) Or Thus the fraction of kinetic energy given

  • Nucleus of helium breaks up from rest into a nucleus

    Now, u^2 is just twice the kinetic energy of the neutron (K = (m/2)*v^2), so we can solve (7) for u^2: 8. u^2 = 2*K(n0) = 0.89 MeV/(5/8 amu) ~ 1.4 MeV and divide by two to get the neutron's kinetic energy: 9.

  • Number of Collisions in a Nuclear Reactor

    The neutron kinetic energy for nucleus are examined.

  • Matter wave problem - Kinetic energy

    33799 Matter wave problem - Kinetic energy 5. For an electron to be confined to a nucleus, its de Broglie wavelength would have to be less than 10^-14m. (a) What would be the kinetic energy of an electron confined to this region?

View More Related Solutions