The nucleus of 150 decays by electron capture. Disregarding the daughter's recoil, determine the energy of the neutrino.

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**Electron Capture and Energy of Neutrino Calculation**

*Problem Statement:*

The nucleus of \( \text{Iodine-50 (}^{50}\text{I}) \) decays by electron capture. Disregarding the recoil of the daughter nucleus, determine the energy of the neutrino.

*Solution Approach:*

1. **Understanding Electron Capture (EC):**
   - In electron capture, an inner atomic electron is captured by the nucleus.
   - A proton is converted into a neutron, and a neutrino is emitted.
   - The general decay equation is:
     \[
     _Z^A \text{X} + e^- \rightarrow _{Z-1}^A \text{Y} + \nu_e
     \]
     where \( _Z^A \text{X} \) is the parent nucleus, \( _{Z-1}^A \text{Y} \) is the daughter nucleus, \( e^- \) is the captured electron, and \( \nu_e \) is the emitted neutrino.

2. **Energy Considerations:**
   - The energy released (Q value) during this process is given by:
     \[
     Q = (m(\text{parent}) + m_e - m(\text{daughter}))c^2
     \]
     where \( m(\text{parent}) \) is the mass of the parent atom, \( m_e \) is the mass of the electron, and \( m(\text{daughter}) \) is the mass of the daughter atom. \( c \) is the speed of light in vacuum.
   - For simplicity, if we disregard the daughter nucleus's recoil, almost all the Q value is taken by the neutrino.

3. **Calculations:**
   - Assuming the masses are provided or calculated according to atomic mass units (AMU), convert them to the energy equivalent using \( 1 \text{ AMU} \approx 931.5 \text{ MeV}/c^2 \).

4. **Conclusion:**
   - The calculated Q value will be approximately the energy of the neutrino.

**Graphical Representation:**

*Since there are no graphs or diagrams in this image, there is no need for further illustration.*

This problem involves a detailed understanding of nuclear physics, particularly the process of electron capture and energy transformation. The solution provides a step-by-step approach to determine the energy of
Transcribed Image Text:**Electron Capture and Energy of Neutrino Calculation** *Problem Statement:* The nucleus of \( \text{Iodine-50 (}^{50}\text{I}) \) decays by electron capture. Disregarding the recoil of the daughter nucleus, determine the energy of the neutrino. *Solution Approach:* 1. **Understanding Electron Capture (EC):** - In electron capture, an inner atomic electron is captured by the nucleus. - A proton is converted into a neutron, and a neutrino is emitted. - The general decay equation is: \[ _Z^A \text{X} + e^- \rightarrow _{Z-1}^A \text{Y} + \nu_e \] where \( _Z^A \text{X} \) is the parent nucleus, \( _{Z-1}^A \text{Y} \) is the daughter nucleus, \( e^- \) is the captured electron, and \( \nu_e \) is the emitted neutrino. 2. **Energy Considerations:** - The energy released (Q value) during this process is given by: \[ Q = (m(\text{parent}) + m_e - m(\text{daughter}))c^2 \] where \( m(\text{parent}) \) is the mass of the parent atom, \( m_e \) is the mass of the electron, and \( m(\text{daughter}) \) is the mass of the daughter atom. \( c \) is the speed of light in vacuum. - For simplicity, if we disregard the daughter nucleus's recoil, almost all the Q value is taken by the neutrino. 3. **Calculations:** - Assuming the masses are provided or calculated according to atomic mass units (AMU), convert them to the energy equivalent using \( 1 \text{ AMU} \approx 931.5 \text{ MeV}/c^2 \). 4. **Conclusion:** - The calculated Q value will be approximately the energy of the neutrino. **Graphical Representation:** *Since there are no graphs or diagrams in this image, there is no need for further illustration.* This problem involves a detailed understanding of nuclear physics, particularly the process of electron capture and energy transformation. The solution provides a step-by-step approach to determine the energy of
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