- #1
Fanman22
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An atomic nucleus initially moving at 500 m/s emits an alpha particle in the direction of its velocity, and the new nucleus slows to 480 m/s. If the alpha particle has a mass of 4.0 u and the original nucleus has a mass of 226 u, what speed does the alpha particle have when it is emitted?
Well this is what I came up with so far:
m1=226 V1=500 V1'=?
m2=4 V2=? V2'=480
Use Conservation of Momentum and conservation of kinetic energy to get these equations, respectively:
226(500) + 4(V2) = 226(V1') + 4(480) and...
.5(226)(500)^2 + .5(4)(V2)^2 = .5(226)(V1')^2 + .5(4)(480)^2
Hopefully this is correct so far...now I know I'm supposed to do substitution next, but I'm having some algebra problems.
I got V2= -2.77e4 + 56.5(V1')
I'm not sure if this is correct I'm ashamed to say it, but I'm having a lot of trouble doing the algebra after I substitute it into the other equation.
Well this is what I came up with so far:
m1=226 V1=500 V1'=?
m2=4 V2=? V2'=480
Use Conservation of Momentum and conservation of kinetic energy to get these equations, respectively:
226(500) + 4(V2) = 226(V1') + 4(480) and...
.5(226)(500)^2 + .5(4)(V2)^2 = .5(226)(V1')^2 + .5(4)(480)^2
Hopefully this is correct so far...now I know I'm supposed to do substitution next, but I'm having some algebra problems.
I got V2= -2.77e4 + 56.5(V1')
I'm not sure if this is correct I'm ashamed to say it, but I'm having a lot of trouble doing the algebra after I substitute it into the other equation.