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ismaili
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Homework Statement
The problem is:
A proton collides with a Helium nucleus. What is the minimum lab kinetic energy needed to produce an anti-proton?
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
I suppose that helium nucleus is at rest in the lab frame.
I'm wondering about the final particles of this reaction.
Originally, I guess the result is a proton, an anti-proton and the helium nucleus, but in this way, the charge is not conserved. So I guess the final particles are two protons , an anti-proton and helium nucleus, but my friend told me that the standard answer in the text is that the final state is with one proton, one anti-proton and one helium nucleus.
So, the charge can be not conserved in a reaction?
(This means that the interaction is not electromagnetic?)
Thanks for all ideas.