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MelissaJL
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So I'm just studying for my final on Saturday and I realized that I'm missing the answer to a question in my notes( probably missed that day). So I was that hoping someone could look over my attempt. Thanks !
The muon is an unstable elementary particle with charge equal to that of the electron and mass 207 times that of the electron. In the laboratory muons have been observed to live 2.2[itex]\mu[/itex]s on average before disintegrating into an electron, a neutrino, and an anti-neutrino. Assume that cosmic muons are created 6.0 km above the Earth's surface, in the upper atmosphere and that they travel with a speed of 0.998c. How much time would it take for such muons to reach the surface of the earth? Do they reach the earth?
[itex]\gamma[/itex]= [itex]\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-(v/c)^{2}}}[/itex]
[itex]\Delta[/itex]t=[itex]\gamma[/itex][itex]\Delta[/itex]t'
d=vt
[itex]\gamma[/itex]=[itex]\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-(0.998c/c)^{2}}}[/itex]=15.819
[itex]\Delta[/itex]t=15.819(2.2x10-6)=3.48x10-5=34.8[itex]\mu[/itex]s
d=vt=0.998(3x108)(3.48x10-5)=10419m=10.4 km ∴ the muon reaches the earth.
Time it takes for muon to reach Earth:
t= [itex]\frac{6000}{0.998(3x10^{8})}[/itex]=2.004x10-5=20.04[itex]\mu[/itex]s for the muon to reach the earth.
Homework Statement
The muon is an unstable elementary particle with charge equal to that of the electron and mass 207 times that of the electron. In the laboratory muons have been observed to live 2.2[itex]\mu[/itex]s on average before disintegrating into an electron, a neutrino, and an anti-neutrino. Assume that cosmic muons are created 6.0 km above the Earth's surface, in the upper atmosphere and that they travel with a speed of 0.998c. How much time would it take for such muons to reach the surface of the earth? Do they reach the earth?
Homework Equations
[itex]\gamma[/itex]= [itex]\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-(v/c)^{2}}}[/itex]
[itex]\Delta[/itex]t=[itex]\gamma[/itex][itex]\Delta[/itex]t'
d=vt
The Attempt at a Solution
[itex]\gamma[/itex]=[itex]\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-(0.998c/c)^{2}}}[/itex]=15.819
[itex]\Delta[/itex]t=15.819(2.2x10-6)=3.48x10-5=34.8[itex]\mu[/itex]s
d=vt=0.998(3x108)(3.48x10-5)=10419m=10.4 km ∴ the muon reaches the earth.
Time it takes for muon to reach Earth:
t= [itex]\frac{6000}{0.998(3x10^{8})}[/itex]=2.004x10-5=20.04[itex]\mu[/itex]s for the muon to reach the earth.