Question:
Deuteron is a bound state of a neutron and a proton with a binding energy B = 2.2 MeV. A γ -ray of energy E is aimed at a deuteron nucleus to try to break it into a
(neutron + proton) such that the n and p move in the direction of the incident γ-ray. If E = B, show that this cannot happen. Hence calculate how much bigger than
B must E be for such a process to happen.
Solution:
The binding energy of a deuteron = B = 2.2 MeV
Kn, Kp are the kinetic energies of neutron and proton
pn and pp are the momentum of neutron and proton
E – B = Kn + Kp
B must be B2/4mc2 for B to be much bigger than E.