Charge of Radon Nucleus: 86 Protons -1.6x10^-19 C

  • Thread starter Thread starter poteat86
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Charge Nucleus
AI Thread Summary
The total charge of a radon nucleus, which contains 86 protons, is calculated by multiplying the number of protons by the charge of a proton, approximately +1.6x10^-19 C. Since the nucleus is positively charged, the correct calculation is 86 protons times +1.6x10^-19 C, resulting in a total charge of +1.376x10^-17 C. The confusion arose from mistakenly using the charge of an electron instead of a proton. It's essential to remember that protons carry a positive charge. Understanding the distinction between the charges of protons and electrons is crucial for solving this type of problem.
poteat86
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Hi, this problem is killing me.

What is the total charge of the radon nucleus? (The neutral radon atom has 86 electrons.)

The units is in Coulombs so I figured since they were asking for the charge of just the nucleus then it would be 86 protons times -1.6x10^-19 C. But that didn't work, I've tried every answer I can think of but it isn't working. (its like an online homework thing...i have only a few tries left and i need this answer to continue the rest) Please please help! Thanks!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
oh my god, sorry i didn't see that sticky about hw. I'll post somewhere else...sorry!
 
-1.6x10^-19 C is the charge on an electron.

A proton is positively charged, and if there are 86 of them, then 86 * the charge of one proton is correct.

Be careful of + and -.
 
Susskind (in The Theoretical Minimum, volume 1, pages 203-205) writes the Lagrangian for the magnetic field as ##L=\frac m 2(\dot x^2+\dot y^2 + \dot z^2)+ \frac e c (\dot x A_x +\dot y A_y +\dot z A_z)## and then calculates ##\dot p_x =ma_x + \frac e c \frac d {dt} A_x=ma_x + \frac e c(\frac {\partial A_x} {\partial x}\dot x + \frac {\partial A_x} {\partial y}\dot y + \frac {\partial A_x} {\partial z}\dot z)##. I have problems with the last step. I might have written ##\frac {dA_x} {dt}...
Thread 'Griffith, Electrodynamics, 4th Edition, Example 4.8. (Second part)'
I am reading the Griffith, Electrodynamics book, 4th edition, Example 4.8. I want to understand some issues more correctly. It's a little bit difficult to understand now. > Example 4.8. Suppose the entire region below the plane ##z=0## in Fig. 4.28 is filled with uniform linear dielectric material of susceptibility ##\chi_e##. Calculate the force on a point charge ##q## situated a distance ##d## above the origin. In the page 196, in the first paragraph, the author argues as follows ...

Similar threads

Back
Top