The carbon isotope 14C is used for carbon dating of objects.  A  14C nucleus can change into a different kind of element, a neighbor on the periodic table with lower mass, by emitting a beta particle – an electron or positron – plus a neutrino or an anti-neutrino.  Consider the scenario where 14C ( mass of 2.34 x 10 -26) decays by emitting an electron and anti neutrino.  The electron has a mass of 9.11x 10-31 kg and a speed of 1.0 x107  m/s.  While the anti neutrino has  a momentum of 1.0x10-24 kg-m/s.  If the electron and anti neutrino are emitted at right angles from each other, calculate the recoil speed of the nucleus.

Modern Physics
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Author:Raymond A. Serway, Clement J. Moses, Curt A. Moyer
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Chapter2: Relativity Ii
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The carbon isotope 14C is used for carbon dating of objects.  A  14C nucleus can change into a different kind of element, a neighbor on the periodic table with lower mass, by emitting a beta particle – an electron or positron – plus a neutrino or an anti-neutrino.  Consider the scenario where 14C ( mass of 2.34 x 10 -26) decays by emitting an electron and anti neutrino.  The electron has a mass of 9.11x 10-31 kg and a speed of 1.0 x107  m/s.  While the anti neutrino has  a momentum of 1.0x10-24 kg-m/s.  If the electron and anti neutrino are emitted at right angles from each other, calculate the recoil speed of the nucleus. 

Expert Solution
Step 1

The initial mass of the 14C is M1 = 2.34x10-26 kg.

The 14C undergoes decay and emits electron and anti-neutrino at right angles.

The mass of the electron is m1 = 9.11x10-31 kg.

The speed of the electron is v1 = 1.0x107 m/s.

The momentum of the anti-neutrino is p2 = 1.0x10-24 kg-m/s.

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