Speed of an antimuon in a pi meson decay

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the speed of an antimuon resulting from the decay of a pi meson (\(\pi^+ \rightarrow \mu^+ \nu_{\mu}\)). The participant utilized the energy-momentum relation and the relativistic kinetic energy formula to derive the antimuon's speed. Initial calculations yielded a speed of \(v_{\mu} = 0.65c\), which contradicts the expected \(0.27c\). The discrepancy arises from neglecting the momentum of the neutrino, which must be accounted for to ensure conservation of momentum in the decay process.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the energy-momentum relation in particle physics
  • Familiarity with rest mass values of particles, specifically \(\pi\), \(\mu\), and \(\nu\)
  • Knowledge of relativistic kinetic energy calculations
  • Basic principles of conservation of momentum in particle decays
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the implications of momentum conservation in particle decay processes
  • Learn about the properties and behavior of neutrinos in particle physics
  • Explore advanced applications of the energy-momentum relation in high-energy physics
  • Investigate the differences between classical and relativistic kinetic energy formulas
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Physics students, particle physicists, and anyone interested in the dynamics of particle decay and conservation laws in high-energy physics.

Je m'appelle
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Homework Statement



I'm trying to confirm the speed of an antimuon in the [itex]\pi^+ \rightarrow \mu^+ \nu_{\mu}[/itex] decay through the laws of conservation but it doesn't add up.

Homework Equations


[/B]
1.Energy-momentum relation:

[tex]E^2 = (pc)^2 + (mc^2)^2[/tex]

2. Rest masses:

[tex]m_{\pi} = 139.6 \ \frac{MeV}{c^2}[/tex]
[tex]m_{\mu} = 105.7 \ \frac{MeV}{c^2}[/tex]
[tex]m_{\nu} \approx 0 \frac{MeV}{c^2}[/tex]

3. Relativistic kinetic energy formula:

[tex]E_k =m_{\mu}c^2 \left( \frac{1}{\sqrt{1 - \frac{v_{\mu}^2}{c^2}}} - 1 \right)[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



By the way, the pi meson decays at rest, so [itex]p_{\pi}=0[/itex].

I'm considering the difference of mass, before and after the decay, as pure kinetic energy, so around [itex](m_{\pi} - m_{\mu})c^2 = 33.9 MeV[/itex].

[tex]m_{\mu}c^2 \left( \frac{1}{\sqrt{1 - \frac{v_{\mu}^2}{c^2}}} - 1 \right) = 33.9 \ MeV[/tex]

Carrying this out yields [itex]v_{\mu}=0.65c[/itex] when in fact it should be [itex]0.27c[/itex].

What am I doing wrong?
 
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In order for momentum to be conserved, the neutrino must have momentum, so not all of that energy is available to the muon.
 
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