Solve the following :

Question:

A uranium-238 nucleus, initially at rest, emits an alpha particle with a speed of $1.4 \times 10^{7} \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}$. Calculate the recoil speed of the residual nucleus thorium-234. Assume that the mass of a nucleus is proportional to the mass number.

Solution:

$\Rightarrow 0=M_{X} V_{X}+M_{\alpha}\left(1.4 \times 10^{7}\right)$

$\Longrightarrow V_{X}=\frac{-M_{c}\left(1.4 \times 10^{7}\right)}{M_{X}}$

$=\frac{-4}{234}\left(1.4 \times 10^{7}\right)=2.4 \times 10^{5} \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}$

 

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