Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems · Problem 9-53

Motion in a Noninertial Reference Frame — Marion & Thornton

Physics — Mechanics · rutherford-scattering

Problem

The most energetic

\alpha

-particles available to Ernest Rutherford and his colleagues for the famous Rutherford scattering experiment were 7.7 MeV. For the scattering of 7.7 MeV

\alpha

-particles from

^{238}

U (initially at rest) at a scattering angle in the lab of

90^\circ

(all calculations are in the LAB system unless otherwise noted), find the following: (a) the recoil scattering angle of

^{238}

U. (b) the scattering angles of the

\alpha

-particle and

^{238}

U in the CM system. (c) the kinetic energies of the scattered

\alpha

-particle and

^{238}

U. (d) the impact parameter

b

. (e) the distance of closest approach

r_{\min}

. (f) the differential cross section at

90^\circ

. (g) the ratio of the probabilities of scattering at

90^\circ

to that of

5^\circ

Related theory

Delbruck Scattering Light Scattering Light

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